To Hell with the Original!
by Haxong
Summary: You could ask ten different people who Charles Potter is and why he does know things no one else does. You would get ten diffrent answers, one more unlikely then the other. No one of them knows the truth. He's the twin brother of Harry Potter, one of the boys-who-lived. He's a Slytherin, a genius and more often then not an insufferable asshole. And yes, he's being evil on purpose.
1. Journey to Number Four

**Content:** Remember those crazy stories were a bunch of fangirls get into potteruniverse and everything is sunshine and butterflies in the end? Well, forget about those. In this story a teenager enters the magical world against his will. He's read all the seven books and he hates every one of them. With a vengeance. Now he's stuck as Harry Potters twin brother and of course the world wouldn't let him alone about the boys-who-lived crap. So he's gonna make them pay. He's gonna do everything in his might to ensure the series does not end like the original. Even if he has to become the antagonist to do so.

**Warning:** Bashing against pretty much EVERYONE. This fanfic means to show all the little mistakes and imperfections of the Potter series, things that people usually overread but if it would happen to you in real life, you would have to wonder. I do not mean to offend anyone (I'm a Potter fan myself after all) but to get you to think it over. Rating for some swearing.

**Disclaimer:** Don't own. Whoa, that's a relief.

* * *

„No, not my boys! Please, take me instead!"

Oh fuck. Another nightmare.

I let out a frustrated moan and rolled over, pressing my hands against my ears in an attempt to get rid of the screams.

"Step aside you silly girl..."

I did my best to turn off the hissing voice and the wailing of a baby nearby and tried to drift back into the empty void of dreamless sleep. But then there was this blinding green light, followed by an incredible amount of pain. And suddenly, there were two babies screaming.

When I finally came to my senses again the night had retreated for the light of the sun. A Gray, somewhat dirty sky stretched above my head. I tried to sit up but found myself unable to do so. In fact, I could not move at all. I tried to cry for help but I could only manage a high pitched wail. Immediately I shut my mouth again, embarrassed by myself.

At least I was somewhat warm. The ground shook a bit as if I was on a ship or something. After some time in which I desperately tried to remember what I'd done before having that weird dream a change came to my surroundings. The air around me flickered like some kind of hologram. I looked around and decided that I still had to be in a dream. There stood none other then Rubeus Hagrid, yet another fictional character out of my most hated series.

Yes, I hate Harry Potter. Have I made an enemy out of you now? Well, I don't give a shit.

The books themselves, I suppose, are alright. Aside from obviously being childrens books and as such being full of cliches and logical mistakes. Yes, it is a magical world but even there there are rules and the books always tend to contradict themselves. My little half sister, unfortunately, loves the series. She's 14, five years younger then me that I have just started going to university. I love Emy, I really do but after having to read the same book for her for the fifth time to get her to sleep I just can't enjoy it anymore. Then she started collecting all these fan articles and writing fanfictions (forcing poor me to read them). Of course I was dragged to all eight movies against my will ("Such a good chance for some family bonding time", my father had said.) Eventually I began searching for a way to defend myself against this madness - by pointing out all the flaws and imperfections, all the mistakes and the gigantic lack of common sense present in the books. Finally I had my peace. Or so I thought. Until my mother decided that my abysmal Spanish marks were unacceptable and, knowing full well about my dislike for that particular series, forced me to read it all _again_ with her, this time in Spanish.

My parents got divorced shortly after I turned three years old so ever since I remember I had commuted between my crazy but loveable mum and my father with his new wife and my step-sister. In both houses Harry Potter was an ever present subject. It was for that reason that I really began to hate it. Why the hell was it that those stupid books were the only thing my two lives had in common?

Therefore it was not unusual for me to dream about Harry Potter. Sometimes it were good dreams (the characters getting into extremely embarrassing or painful situations) and sometimes they were nightmares (all other scenes that were played exactly as they were in the original.)

_This _dream, I hadn't yet decided which kind of it was. I seemed to be struck in baby Harry Potters body, which was weird but not a first one. Hagrid carried me around in a big wooden basket where I laid tucked nicely in blankets to keep me warm. I could catch a glimpse of a muggle city and, when the basket swung around a bit, I even saw that gigantic motorcycle I knew belonged to Sirius Black. It flickered out of view for a second. It reminded me of Mr Weasleys flying car with its invisibility button. It seemed likely that the motorcycle had something similar and explained why I wasn't able to see anything but sky for the past minutes – or hours?

Anyway, Hagrid (still letting out an occasional sob) looked down at me with his compared to the rest of his body tiny black eyes and faked a smile.

"Are yer hungry, little ones?", he asked scratching my cheek. I glared at him the best I could. What confused me was that after that he was turning his attention to somewhere next to me, cooing some more but without actually looking at me. Weird.

The half giant drew quite a few stares as he entered the cafe, asking for baby milk. A kind waitress however had enough pity to help him feeding me (I was indeed very hungry). Although I think I saw another waitress silently going into the direction of the telephone. I wouldn't be surprised if she called the police.

I got quite a shock when the waitress reached into the basked and got a hold of a baby that _wasn't me._

"Of, such lovely little boys they are!", the woman cooed. "What are their names?"

Wait, what?

"Oh, that one's Harry! Or... Well, it could be Charles too, I don't really know..."

"They do rather look alike. Identical twins, I suppose?"

What the f-

"That's right! Wonderful boys, aren't they?"

"But those scars look rather funny... They both have one, right on their foreheads! It looks fresh, are you sure they're okay?"

You gotta be kidding me!

Hagrid fidgeted a bit. "Well, uh, I was on my way to a healer, you see."  
"You mean a doctor."

"Yeah, that. So, uh, I must get go'ng!"

The other waitress just came back from the telephone when Hagrid paid for the milk and laid Harry back into the basked, that, I now realized, must have two compartments.

What a crazy dream. Now I was the twin brother to Harry Potter? Oh, please don't let this be such a lame story were the false Potter is declared boy-who-lived and gets trained while the other one is left for abuse. Because I'm really not in the mood for training.

Outside of the cafe Hagrid took off again. I was pretty sure where he was heading but I didn't know that it was such a long route. Yet Hagrid seemed to have to land and stop whenever one of us cried (which was usually Harry) so we needed more time as if we had just used a regular motorcycle. By the time we arrived in Bristol I was glad Harry finally shut up and got to sleep. I, on the other hand, didn't feel the least bit sleepy. Which, maybe, had to do with the fact that I technically _was _asleep. Hopefully.

Around midnight we finally arrived at our destination. Recognizing Number Four, Privet Drive I decided that beside that odd turn with the twin-thing it had to be a nightmare. The conversation between McGonogall, Hagrid and Dumbledore was almost exactly the same as in the books. When Hagrid told them he had borrowed the motorcycle from Sirius Black and had to bring it back shortly I glared at Dumbldedore some more. The man had to think Black a traitor and a corpse cruncher, hadn't he? So why the hell wasn't he warning Hagrid? Goddamn idiot. Greatest wizard on the world, my ass.

As it turned out, _both _of us were being dropped on the doorstep to Number four. Yeah. The hero of the wizarding world dropped on a doorstep in a goddamn fucking cold November night. Wizards! At least leave some fucking warming charms! God, I already hate this dream.

And then there we laid. Freezing our little baby asses off, waiting for the morning to come. And we waited. And waited. And...

Alright, what the fuck was this?! Flying in an invisible motorcycle, okay, I got that. But in those dreams, wouldn't you normally just don't notice the time that passed between two more important events? I clearly felt every single one of my limps (except for my toes. They were too COLD!). I could hear Harrys breathing, the rustling of the leaves. I stared counting stars in an attempt to fall asleep. Still nothing.

This was going to be a loooong night.

* * *

And what a hell of a long night it was.

I stopped believing this to be some kind of stupid dream three or four month after being dropped by the Dursleys. There was no point denying it, no dream could be so detailed and long lasting. I had somehow landed in the Potteruniverse. I didn't even have any idea _how. _I couldn't remember any strange incidents like being struck by a lighting bolt or being sucked into a black hole in the television. I just couldn't remember. My memories of my real life got more and more foggy too but not in a manner like someone was erasing my mind, just the normal way of forgetting things. Unfortunately, being in the environment I was, potterfacts as I called them didn't belong to these things.

I didn't know exactly how long I would stay here. Maybe until the Hogwarts letters arrived? Or for another seven school years after that? Would I have to endure the crappylog? Was there even a possibility at all to get back?

The first thing I had done as soon as I was good enough at walking was to go to a public cellphone and search for my families number in the phonebook. It did not exist. Well, that would have been to easy. I did a little more research as soon as Dudley got his first computer and I could sneak in his room at two o'clock in the morning to have access to the internet. But neither my family, nor my old school or my university did even exist here. It was the same with the Harry Potter books of course, but that wasn't a surprise since they wouldn't have been published yet. However I couldn't find a single notice on Lord of the Rings and that was really strange.

Anyway. It seemed I had to play along for the time being. From the very beginning I had absolutely no intention of ever going to Hogwarts. That place was so full of monsters and other dangers that it was a small miracle nobody had died before fourth book. I'd rather not die young, thank-you-very-much. The wizarding world in general seemed to be pretty fucked up so I was perfectly content to just stay in the good old muggle world.

I wasn't even sure if I even had magic until I first approached Vernon D. and asked for a larger room, or at least a real bet because my brother and I didn't fit onto one cot anymore. His dismiss made me so angry that a few lighting bulbs exploded.

Even if I didn't plan on getting a proper wizarding education I still found lots of use in the accidental magic that I spend every free minute in trying to control. My far to mature mind allowed me to meditate (my former girlfriend had dragged me to her yoga training a couple of times) and indeed I could imagine I found something I could call a magical core. I was however unsure how much magic I could do without endangering myself so I waited until Harry did it all first.

When my brother was five he turned the color of Piers Polkins hair blue for the first time. I started training to be able to change the color or inanimate objects right away, followed by my own hair and even eye color. I needed a hell of a lot of concentration and it didn't last long but I _could _do it. It was incredible useful when I could rewrite part of my tests in school after getting them back and later on complain about unfair treatment. I just made the red notes of the teacher white to erase them after writing down the real answer. I got to jump two classes ahead because of that little trick (and of course because I was around 25 years mental age by then and knew all of that already.) That had the positive side effect of not being in the same class as Dudley and actually being able to make some friends.

When we turned eight the Dursleys started to try to get us a haircut every week. No kidding. _Every week. _One would think they'd learn that Harrys hair was just untameable. I, instead, let my hair grow until I could bind it in a ponytail that always hung over my right shoulder. Petunia always ranted about me looking like a hooligan but even she had to admit that it got rid of the untameable part. And when she cut my hair it was just so much more obvious when it grew back as when she cut Harrys. So I got to keep it.

I was able to change the color and length of my hair and nails as well as the color of my eyes and skin though only a few shades. That was however enough to go stealing at the nearby shops under disguise and not being recognized later on. It helped that with the age of ten I could begin training apparration after Harry one day found himself on top of the school roof. If Harry could do that accidentally I should be able to do so without too much splinching.

Well, I _did _splinch myself a couple of times but I only got small wounds that healed overnight.

All in all I managed to make life with the Dursleys a lot better then in the original. Aside from my hair I showed no sign of magic in front of the Dursleys. I had no reason to ask questions about my so called parents and I did my best to never mention movies, comics, games or anything else fantasy-related to them. In return I got ignored by them but also they left me alone. They didn't even comment much on the new clothes I was able to afford with my stolen money.

Regarding Harry... I have to say I wasn't able to build much of a relationship with him. Sure he was a fine kid, but that was just it. He was a kid, I was a grown man. I could've been his father, for god's sake! I hated this serie but I was fair enough to not to let it out on him. I even brought him clothes and, after his glasses got smashed the second time by Dudley, a few good sets of contact lens that I used myself. I helped him with his homework and did my best to calm him down when he cried because he though nobody cared for him.

Unlike what most fans though we were _not _forced to do any chores. At least nothing any normal kid wouldn't have to do (even though Dudley of course didn't have to work at all.) We were not beaten and we weren't even insulted much once Harry learned to shut his mouth. It's just that they clearly didn't love us. Harry however craved for love and would do anything to please his relatives (I didn't see myself related to that filth at all). He would be depressed if they ignored him and would even do stupid things (like asking questions) just to get a reaction out of them.

I remember that one time when I had finally managed to conjure a white ball full of concentrated magic in my palm that would melt a huge hole into a wall when thrown at it and I eagerly showed it to Harry.

"Look, dear brother of mine", I teased him, "look what I can do!"  
"Whoo, that's shiny!", little Harry squealed and clapped his hands. "What is it?"  
"It's magic", I told him proudly.

Harrys face fell a bit. "But... But magic doesn't exist. You shouldn't say something like that, even if it's a joke!" He looked around as if he expected his uncle to turn up on the playground to scream at us.

"What do you mean a joke?", I answered scowling. "Just look at it, isn't it obvious that it's magic? I'm a wizard, Harry, and so are you." It had been my first attempt to get Harry to understand that we were not worth less then the dirt under Vernons shoes.

"Wizards do not exist", Harry insisted angrily. "Stop fooling around."  
"Fine", I sighed and let the ball vanish.. "But you'll see Harry, one day wizards will come to take you away to learn about magic."  
His eyes got all round. "Why only me?"  
"Well, obviously I can already do magic", I answered proudly.

"But I don't want to be separated from you", he said sadly.

That was another strange thing. Although I mostly kept my distance from him Harry seemed to see me as the older brother (I wasn't sure whenever or not I was) that protected him. Sure, sometimes I would get a teacher when he was being hunted by Dudley or I would give him food I stole from the fridge when he was locked in our cupboard but that was it. Since Harry had first shrunken a horrible jumper Petunia wanted to force him to wear I had trained myself at casting wandless expanding and shrinking charms so we didn't have any trouble sleeping in the small cupboard under the stairs. Still I felt like this was not my life. Therefore, Harry was not my brother. I knew he would grow to be an slightly above average wizard with no common sense whatsoever and a nasty hero complex. But, more importantly, he would grow up to be a trouble magnet and I wanted to have no part in it. It was best to keep my distance from him as much as I would be able to.

Even as a wizard without education I could easily make a fortune. All I'd have to do was to exchange some muggle money at Gringotts for galleons. The galleons were worth five times as much when being sold to a muggle jeweler (I wondered why not more people did that.) And that was not even counting the huge inheritance that awaited Harry and me.


	2. Hogwarts Letters

Dudleys birthday was the first real change. It was the day I would get to know whenever or not I could speak to snakes. Cause if I did that would mean I was a horcurx, which was very bad. I had no intention of sacrificing myself to those stupid characters and therefore likely wouldn't survive another killing curse. Both Harry and me carried the famous lighting bolt scar. While Harrys was the original mine was mirrored but on the first sight looked exactly the same. (In fact I could vanish it completely by changing its color.) It had yet to do so much as tickle though.

While being in the zoo Harry enjoyed looking at all the foreign animals but I was impatient awaiting the reptile house. Finally we were there and, knowing to keep my distance from the boa, I got to the very end of the house, far away from Dudleys and Piers' watching eyes and crouched down in front of the cage of a milk snake.

"Hello", I greeted it, feeling a little foolish.

The snake raised its head.

For a moment I though my heart would stop beating. Oh fuck.

Still I managed a fake smile. "I guess you're really bored in here. Do they at least take good care of you?"

The snake flickered her tongue once. "I get mice all the time", it then said with a hissing noise and now I was _sure _my heart stopped for a moment, "and I hate mice."

"Oh. That's too bad", I answered with shaking knees. "What would you like to eat?"

"Well, a few insects for a change would be nice", it said. "Or a frog. Even fish would be alright, but I don't like those hairy things."  
"Hm", I made. Behind me I could hear Dudley screaming. Seemed that Harry was a parselmouth too.

"You know, I'm a wizard", I said, "and I've practiced vanishing charms for a while now. If you'd like I could take you with me and give you proper food. But you'd have to promise me something in return." It would be nice to have someone to talk to other then my brother. Besides the milk snake looked an awful lot like the coral snake. I was sure the Dursleys would mistake her for being incredible poisonous. Since they would likely lock me with Harry in the cupboard for the next couple of weeks I'd have a means to scare them away.

The milk snake raised her head higher, looking distinctly hopeful. "What do you want?"  
"My brother can understand your kind too. But I have the feeling that I'm going to have to keep a lot of secrets from him in the future. So you would not be allowed to talk to him _at all. _Whenever you... eh, taste him nearby, you are to stop talking or even answering to me. Even if I keep talking. In no way he is to assume that I can understand you. And of course, even when he finds out you're not allowed to talk about my secrets to him unless I allow you to. It would be best to act as stupid as possible. I know that your kind is very intelligent and that's the reason I picked you but unfortunately we have to fulfill certain prejudices."

The snake seemed to think about my offer for a few moments. I already got impatient because now the boa constrictor was free and Vernon was yelling at the zookeeper.

"Alright", the snake finally said. "I'll come with you."

"Great!", I hissed and laid my palms on the glass. "Then I'll get you out. Just wrap around my arm and stay hidden for the time being."  
"Alright... master."  
"You can call me Charles", I told it. "If you'd like. What is your name?"

"My name is Notch", the now as male identified snake replied.

I though it was an odd name for a snake, but well... Maybe he got it because of his red and white stripes.

The glass vanished under my fingertips and Notch quickly wrapped himself around my arm before I pulled down the sleeve again. Conjuring the glass back into place was a lot more difficult but eventually I managed just before Vernon came towards me, his face red with anger and dragged me back to the car.

* * *

Back at Number four both of us were being locked in the cupboard just like I had expected. Harry continued to drum his fist against the door, swearing he hadn't done anything. Meanwhile I released Notch and sent him hunting for spiders.

With a sniff Harry finally turned around and his eyes got really big when he saw the snake.

"Ch-Charles, there is a huge snake under the bed!" He pointed at him frightened.

"Oh, don't worry. That's Notch. He's a milk snake, completely harmless." I kind of enjoyed his thunderstruck expression. A parselmouth being afraid of snakes. Pathetic.

"Wha – but where did you get if from?"

"Well, the glass of the huge boa wasn't the only one you vanished back in the zoo."  
"I didn't-"  
"I saw him roam free and decided to take him with me before the keepers could get to him. He's harmless but the design of his scales makes him look really dangerous. So I though we could use it to give Dudley a good scare next time he tries to beat you up, eh?"

"W-Well... But what if he is poisonous after all?"

"Then that fat, stupid, evil-smelling piece of shit will die and I'll declare the day a national holiday. Now come on and get to sleep. Notch will clean the cupboard of all spiders. I'll get some food for us around midnight so we'll have breakfast. You can catch some sleep before that."

"I'm not sure that's such a good idea..."  
"You wanna betray me to the Dursleys?", I asked harshly, glaring at him as if telling on me for having a forbidden pet would be the end of all brotherhood between us.

Harry seemed horrified at the very though. Whatever I did, he would never tell on me for it. Even if he liked to pretend there was no such thing as magic, even if he couldn't understand why I didn't even try to gain the Dursleys favor, he would never tell them all the strange things that happened around me. I had offered him to teach him how to control his magic but since he refused to believe in it there wasn't much I could do. I think that secretly he blamed all the incidents that happened to him on me just to have the delusion to be normal, to not to be a freak in hope to one day be noticed by his relatives.

What a pathetic little loser.

Anyway, because I had jumped classes I was already going to the local secondary school around that time. That's why the Dursleys couldn't lock me in for a whole four weeks, the teachers would notice. I got out earlier and had an awful lot of fun showing of Notch to a frightened Dudley. When the Dursleys angrily asked me about it I just lifted my shirt and showed them the cool snake-like tattoo I got that formed the letter 'C' on my chest. Of course it was just Notch being stuck there by magic and his colors being changed in such a brilliant way that he seemed to be nothing but a black tattoo on my pale skin. I happily told them that I just wanted to have a way of being distinguished from Harry, who, aside from the hair length, looked exactly like me. Dudleys must have mistaken it for a real snake.

One day I entered the kitchen to the fabulous smell of Petunia drying a gray uniform for Harry. Knowing that this was the day the letters were supposed to arrive I promptly turned around to go back to the cupboard. I didn't want to have anything to do with the troubles that were sure to arise.

* * *

The next couple of days Harry was busy catching one of the letters that were addressed to him and myself. Vernon was busy preventing that, Dudley was busy hitting everyone with his Smelting stick. Petunia was busy doing her best to prevent the neighbors from noticing anything odd. And I... I was busy finding out how the hell the letters were being delivered. It couldn't just be owls. Owls didn't put letters in the boxes for the eggs or smuggled them in with the milk. Alas it was to no avail.

Our birthday was drawing near. Just as the books described Vernon got really crazy at the end and took us with him trying to shake off magical stalkers. Eventually we landed at the little hut on the rock in the middle of the sea. Harry had looked really sad all day but I couldn't bring myself to care much. Notch had wrapped around my torso really tightly. I could feel he was pissed at not even being able to complain about the cold weather since Harry could hear him.

BUMM BUMM.

I jerked awake, taking in the sight of Harry laying next to me in the dust and Vernon coming storming in with his gun. Then the door came crashing down and Rubeus Hagrid entered.

For a moment the half giant just stood there in all his glory

"Sorry about yer door", he said then and fixed it as good as he could.

"Couldn't make us a cup o' tea, could yeh? It's not been an easy journey..."

"I'm sorry", I interrupted, stepping forward before he could throw Dudley from the sofa. "But would you mind telling us who the hell you are? You break into our house, damage the door so that cold and rain can enter and frighten my relatives. I hope you have a very good reason to do so."

Every single occupant of the room stared at me for those words. My 'family' because I had never, _ever _defended the Dursleys for anything of course. I had always been polite but ignored them most of the time and cursed their very existence behind their backs. Hagrid however laid his eyes on my brother and me for the first time and, disregarding my words completely, a large grin spread on his face.  
"My, you two are defiantly James' sons, aren't you? You look so much like him. Except for the eyes, you have-"  
"Our mothers eyes, yeah we know", I said, rolling said eyes. "Now would you answer my question?"  
"Err, sure", he answered kind of nervous. "Eh, you are... Are you Harry or Charles?"  
I crossed my arms in front of my chest. "I'm Charles."

"Well Charles", he turned to my brother, "and Harry of course... Happy birthday to yeh. Got summat fer yeh here - I mighta sat on it at some point, but it'll taste all right."

He pulled out the cake that read 'Happy birthday to Harry & Charles'.

I just passed it to a delighted Harry. "Do I have to repeat myself again? Who are you?"

"Ah yes, sorry, I'm Rubeus Hagrid, the Keeper of Keys and Grounds at Hogwarts. Just call me Hagrid. Yeh'll know all about Hogwarts, o' course."  
"Err - no", Harry said. "Sorry."

"_Sorry? _It's them that should be sorry! I knew yeh weren't getting' yer letters but I never thought yeh wouldn't even know abou' Hogwarts, fer cryin' out loud! Did yeh never wonder where yer parents learnt it all?"  
"All what?"  
"ALL WHAT!?"

Hagrid turned around, glaring at the Dursleys. "Yer talk as if you don't even know – don't know that you're a-"  
"Stop! Stop this right now!", Vernon called and bravely stepped forward. "I forbid you to tell the boys anything funny!"

I quickly lost interest as Hagrid continued to argue with the Dursleys about the letter Dumbledore had left for them, and so on, and so on. Goddamn, I was tired. Why the hell did Hagrid have to come in the middle of the night?

"Harry, Charles, yer wizards!"

"we-We're what?", Harry whispered. "But that's not-" Then his gaze passed me and his jaw dropped. "You _knew!"_

I just shrugged.

"You knew that magic was real!"

"Well, it was pretty obvious, wasn't it? With all the stuff happening around us."

Now the Dursleys gaped as well. "B-But you never did anything! Not since you were like, four years old!", Vernon exclaimed.

"Just because I didn't do anything _in front of you _doesn't mean I couldn't."  
"B-But-"

Hagrid let out a roar of laughter. "That's James son, isn't he?"

"You knew our parents?", Harry asked eagerly.

"Sure. You couldn't find a pair of greater wizard and witch."

"But how could they be so great if they died in a car crash...?"  
"Car crash? LILY AND JAMES POTTER DYING IN A CAR CRASH!?"

Vernon made a meeping noise as Hagrid threateningly pulled out his pink umbrella.

"Yer mean ter tell me that these boys – _these boys - _know nothing about their own history?

Oh fuck you, fate. Seemed we were both declared boys-who-lived. And there I had hoped to come out of this mess alive.

"You knew that we were magical!", Harry suddenly realized, turning to his relatives.

"Of course we knew", Petunia spit. I rolled my eyes as she began her monologue about Lily Potter being the prized child of her parents.

"...and she was coming home every year, turning tea pots into rats..."  
"You aren't allowed to do magic outside of Hogwarts", I said automatically. Everyone looked at me funny. "Right?"

"Well, yeah", Hagrid said, looking a bit nervous himself. Petunia however didn't seem as if she liked to take her words back. I stored away that information for later. Lily had, after all, been friends with one of the marauders. It was entirely possible that they somehow found a spell to get rid of the trace. Which meant that it existed in the Hogwarts library. Which meant that Harry could find it. Every twist and turn from the main story was welcomed by me. As long as the storyline didn't go the boring, illogical, cliché original way.

"It doesn't matter!", Vernon called, " They're not going there. I'm not paying some old fool to teach them magic tricks!"

"Do not insult Albus Dumbledore in my presence!", Hagrid screamed and the next moment a light shoot out of his umbrella, hitting Dudleys butt. The boy let out a squeal, clutching his butt and running in circles. Harry saw the little pig tale and grinned.

I just face palmed.

"Shouldn't have done that", Hagrid murmured. "Well, but it didn't work the way it was supposed to anyway. Meant to turn him into a pig. But I guess there wasn't so much difference anymore!"

Harry snickered.

I looked at him irritated while the Dursleys did their best to shove their son into the next room.

"You think this is funny?!" I glared at my brother. "Here comes a complete stranger who – no offense – doesn't look very trustworthy and who clearly cares more about this Dumbledork-person then us or our parents judging by his reaction. And besides being angry at Vernon he targets his child, I mean, what kind of cruel person does that? The Dursleys aren't magical, they hate everything magical – they have absolutely no way of getting rid of that tail, that, by the way, seemed to be really painful for Dudley. You really want to go with a guy who tortures little children?!"

Hagrid gaped at me in horror as if I was some kind of alien. I had a hard time not to grin. Of course I had enjoyed seeing Dudley cursed, otherwise I would have stepped it but I always wanted to say that to Hagrid since I first read that scene.

"Calm down", Harry eventually said. "I'm sure Hagrid can remove the tail."

"He better not", I answered. "The Dursleys wouldn't let him anywhere near their son ever again. And I can't blame them. He said he wanted to turn him into a pig so clearly, he's not a very capable wizard if that's the result. He could make the situation even worse. I'm sure there are some kind of officials we could call."

"Ah, well yer see, that wouldn't be such a good idea. I'm not exactly allowed to do magic yer know, strictly speaking."  
"Alright, that's it", I exclaimed. "We're gonna sue you for that!"

Hagrids face got white as a sheet. "But – I didn't mean ter hurt 'im!"

"Oh yeah, you just wanted to turn him into a pig! Harry, get away from that man. He seems to have a great dislike towards anything non-magical. I wouldn't be surprised if he already had a record for targeting so called muggles or children from muggle families."

Oh, that picture! That picture! I could roll on the floor laughing. Hagrid, reminded of his false chamber-of-secrets-record, had just realized that he could very well end up in Azcaban for that stunt and he was shaking in fright in his big boots. Yeah, take that!

* * *

In the end I actually succeeded in scaring the half giant out of our hut 'cause thank you very much, but we didn't want to go to a school that kept employees that tortured children.

Harry was devastated. I tried to tell him that he was better off without magic, or at least when he visited a school other then Hogwarts, but he still refused to speak to me for the rest of the night.

The next morning the storm was over. The Dursleys were absolutely furious but seemed to deflate a bit when I told them what had happened. They actually praised me for scaring the half giant away, if only reluctantly.

But of course it couldn't be that easy.

The family was just discussing if it was safe to go to land again when there was another knock at the door. The Dursleys immediately froze in fear and fled to the next room. With a sigh I opened the door.

It was Severus Snape.

Oh joy.


	3. Diagon Alley

Hello again. Since this story is coming along nicely I've decided to give you another chapter. That and my day sucked, I need distraction. Thank's for the reviews so far. Some mistakes in grammar/spelling have been brought to my attention. I am proofreading my chaps but I'm just not perfect at english since it isn't my mother language. I'm sorry for that and will try to correct mistakes. Feel free to contact me if you wanna be a beta.

Oh, and Charles will end up in Slytherin. It would be stupid to make any enemies among his house mates but for him, there is no such thing as 'friends'. At least not among those 'fictional characters'. He just doesn't see them as real people only as tools to be used. (It's was makes him such an evil bastard sometimes.)

* * *

_But of course it couldn't be that easy. The family was just discussing if it was safe to go to land again when there was another knock at the door. The Dursleys immediately froze in fear and fled to the next room. With a sigh I opened the door._

_It was Severus Snape._

_Oh joy._

"Hello Sir", I greeted politely. "What can I do for you?"

"Mr Potter", he snarled, looking down on me. "I came to give you and your brother these letters."

I made no move to take them, instead looking at him suspiciously. "I'm sorry I didn't catch your name, Mr...?"

"It's Professor Snape", he snapped. "Now take the damn letter."

He managed to force it onto Harry, who eagerly opened the letter but I just let it fall to the ground.

"If this is the Hogwarts acceptance letter, I decline", I said, crossing my arms defensively.

"Don't be stupid, of course you'll come to Hogwarts", he answered, looking as if he hated that fact himself.

I pretended to glance at Harrys letter. "There it says that we 'have a place' at Hogwarts, not that we're obliged to go there."

"Oh, now the great Potter is to fine for Hogwarts? You want to go to a different school? You want to have private teachers?", he spat.

"Actually, I would rather just stay in the non-magical world, thank you very much", I stated coldly.

Snape blinked. "And just why would you want to do that?"

"Because this magical world seems to be full of dangers that I would like to avoid."

Snape seemed to be shocked at the idea of a Potter wanting to avoid danger.

"Hogwarts is the safest place in the world", he finally, although reluctantly, replied. "Of course if you're too _weak _to-"  
"No, we'll go!", Harry interrupted him. "Come on Charles, this will be great."

"Harry, don't fall for his provocation! Yes Professor Snape, we're too weak and we-"

"That's nonsense! You're really strong, brother you can vanish things and, and make them float and you can even burn a hole into a stone wall just using that lighting-thing!"

"God, shut the hell up", I scolded him and put my hand over his mouth. "I don't _want _to go to Hogwarts and I will not! If you want to go and get yourself killed, go on, but leave me out of this!"

I could see Snape watching us closely. I was clearly not what he had expected.

"You don't seem to understand the situation very well", the potions master said. "That stupid oaf may have not had the opportunity to explain it to you. Your parents were killed by one of the most dangerous wizards of the century but he couldn't kill you. His curse backfired and now he's gone. You are famous for his defeat in the magical world. Although of course, technically you didn't do anything. There is nothing special about you." Another sneer. "Still the wizarding world wouldn't leave their little heroes alone. Even if the press left you, the Dark Lord still has his followers. Maybe he'll even come back to power one day and then he'll hunt you down. Hogwarts, as much as

you may despise the idea, is the only place you're safe."

"First: That's not true and second: If it were, then why were we left with a bunch of magic hating muggles?"

"It wouldn't do for you to get an even bigger head were you to be raised by worshippers."  
"Then why the hell not an orphanage? A nice unsuspecting muggle family? Dumping us on a bloody doorstep with people who would never love us, people who would lock us into a cupboard under the stairs although they have two perfectly fine empty bedrooms left and barely feed us, that is far more then just preventing us from getting a big head!"

"Now you shut up you little brat! You think you're so much smarter then the greatest wizard of the world? You're with your relatives because there are protections around the house, protections that are bound to your blood."

"Oh yeah, because we always stay in the house! Because we aren't frightened of our own relatives, because we don't spend every free minute in school or on the playground or the park just to avoid meeting those horrible people! You can't tell me that it's such a great secret where we live! I noticed plenty of people wearing those robes in the last years that would bow to us or come shake our hands in the middle of the street, obviously wizards. If those Dark Lord followers or even he himself would want to kill us he'd have absolutely no problem doing so. For me it seems my chances to survive are far better if I don't give this Dark Lord a reason to kill me by learning magic. He wouldn't have a reason to target an insignificant muggle boy, right?"

Not even Snape could argue with that logic. "You'll still go to Hogwarts. School is mandatory for every magical child."

"Don't you ever _listen _to me?!"

"You are weak and a coward! And incredibly stupid too if you think the Dark Lord will leave you alone just because you can't defend yourself. He'll kill you!"

"He'll do that anyway!", I screamed. I was now fuming in anger. I hadn't planned on using that trump card but it seemed I had to. "Me or Harry will be threatened by a mountain troll, attacked by a dragon, almost eaten by a Cerberus and cursed more times then I could count and that's just our first year at Hogwarts! We will be dead before we can even end our seventh year there!"  
"Oh, and how would you know about that?"  
"Because I _saw _it! Because I dreamed of the magical world ever since I was six years old! At first it didn't make sense to be but then Hagrid came here exactly the way I had seen him coming, speaking exactly the words I had heard him saying. I just know that the rest will come true too if I let it happen."

Snape scowled at me. "You honestly mean to tell me that you're a seer?"

Little Harry who had watched our shouting match fearfully, dropped in now too. "Wait, you can see the future?"  
"Only occasionally", I answered.

"Is that how you knew that Dudley would go to Smeltings? Or that Mrs Fig would break her leg? Is that how you avoided trouble all the time like that time in the zoo? Why haven't you ever told me?"

"Harry, you didn't even believe magic existed. Besides, I only see one possible outcome. Things that will happen if I don't change it. But I _do _know which dangers await us at Hogwarts. Even if I changed enough to get out of them there would just come more that I couldn't predict. Either way I'd end up dead. My chances are far better if I change my name, move to the States and get a nice wizard there to erase any traces that could be used to locate me before beginning my nice, normal muggle life."

"You're actually serious about that", Snape realized confused. "I'll admit, the magical world may be more dangerous then the muggle world. But that's alright because we can heal almost any damage far better. If you're really a seer – and I pretty much doubt that since there hadn't been a seer in your family for centuries – then I see how those visions could scare you. But even if the headmaster is senile, the forest full of deadly creatures and half the teachers part of a political order that will turn the school into a fortress of war when the time comes, it's still Hogwarts. You will enjoy it there. You will enjoy magic. It's in your nature." He actually managed to sound kind of wise.

"Err, I'm sorry but I'm not sure if I want to go there either anymore", Harry whispered.

"There will be no discussions", Snape said, now sneering again. "You will go to Hogwarts just like anyone else. If you want to be muggles so badly you can just get yourself expelled – but _not _by causing trouble. Just perform some magic during the next summer holidays while being in your house. The first time you'll get a warning from the ministry, after the second time you'll get expelled, your wand snapped and you can live as a muggle."

"Yeah sure", I sneered, "if we manage to survive until then."

* * *

That day Snape dragged us with him to buy our school supplies. Harry, never ever having been even in a big muggle mall couldn't get enough of the sight. I noted dully that everything looked just like in the movies. Snape, or Hagrid for that matter didn't _exactly _look like the actors that played them in the movies but they came pretty close. Diagon Alley however I felt as if I had seen it numerous times so it was just kind of boring. After all, which guy my age really liked shopping? Harry couldn't understand why I wasn't excited and Snape too looked at me suspiciously but I didn't care.

"How are we supposed to pay for all of that?", Harry asked glumly after some time.

"Inheritance", Snape answered tight lipped, leading us to Gringotts.

"I've been wondering about that", I whispered, making sure Harry couldn't hear me who was looking at a shop for racing brooms. "Petunia doesn't work at all and Vernon is of average intellect at best, he can't possibly earn that much money in a company that sells drills. Yet they're somehow able to afford to buy their son all kinds of expensive presents. He got a computer, a second television, a racing bike, a cine-camera, sixteen new computer games and a videorecorder for his last birthday. Normally a family of their standard could only afford one of those presents a year but he gets things like that both to his birthday and to Christmas while all we get is an old pair of socks. Not that I'm complaining but I do wonder whenever or not the Dursleys have been paid by wizards for taking care of us? Because if they were I'd like to make sure this money goes straight to us from now on. We might actually be able to get three meals a day out of it."

Snapes expression was unreadable. "You have to talk about that to you relatives."  
"You've met them, Sir, they would never admit such

a thing. If you can't tell me I'm wrong I'm going to ask the goblins as soon as we reach Gringotts."

"Well then, go on!", he snapped. We had just reached the white building.

"Oh, I will", I whispered. "If you would be so kind to take Harry down to the vault to get some money? I'll talk to the goblins in the meantime."

"Don't you want to see how much money you got?"

"I'm sure the goblins can give me the exact number."

Snape actually nodded curtly. "We will fetch you later, then."

The potions master took a very confused Harry with him while I made my way to the counter alone. Maybe the books did Snape wrong after all. After getting over his idea of a doppelganger of James maybe he could be an ally. Don't mistake me. I hate that guy just as much as I hate every other HP character. Who ever told him that loving Lily Potter made up for being a murderer, torturing innocent muggles and being overall despicable had to have been high on sugar. Besides I wasn't even sure if it could be considered love when one was the cause of mortal danger to the two people Lily loved most (or three now, I guess) and still pleading for her to be spared. Had Snape succeeded Lily would have likely just committed suicide. After killing Snape, of course.

So yeah, I hated Snape but that didn't mean I couldn't appreciate him as an ally on my quest to bring some sense into the potteruniverse. Other then most of the characters here he was actually kind of sane. One just had do become spiteful when being around those people.

"May your gold always flow", I greeted the goblin at the counter, wondering if those fanfiction-induced speeches would actually work.

The goblin looked down at me with something vaguely resembling respect. Wohoo.

I explained my problem to him.

"Orphaned children from magical families are officially wards of the ministry unless adopted", the goblin sneered. "Magical relatives normally perform an adoption if they take in a child. It hardly ever happens that magical children are sent to a muggle family. In that case whenever or not they get any money from their inheritance depends on the parents will."  
"Could I perhaps see my parents will?", I asked politely.

"You'll have to make an appointment for that."

"Then I would like to do that. I can only come back within the month or during holidays, though."

"There won't be a chance before Christmas."

"Then Christmas it is. Oh, and would it be possible to do some kind of inheritance test too? I wish to look at my family tree."

"Why would you want to do that? I can assure you, you look very much like a Potter to me."  
"Oh no, it's not about that. I would just like to know whenever or not I have some kind of dormant magical heredity ability and if so, where it comes from." It was my only hope. In case I wasn't a horcrux it was still possible that Lily really was from some kind of long line of squibs originating from Slytherin like it sometimes happened in fanfictions. That and I had to check who was older, Slytherin or Peverell. Because I was definitely related to Voldemort through that second line. Let's hope I could trace my blood back to Slytherin. If they were really such blood purist they should be related to all magical families in Britain including the Potters.

"We can make an appointment on the 26. December, 11 o'clock."

"That would be perfect. Thank you very much. I look forward to meeting you again."

I only had to wait another couple of minutes until Snape and Harry came back from the vaults, my brother carrying a bag of galleons with him.

"Oh Charles! You won't believe it, there is so much money in there and..."

I kind of spaced out, nodding and making incomprehensible noises here and there while we went to Madam Malkins.

"Try to not to act too stupid", I told my brother, knowing we would meet Malfoy in there. "Which includes making enemies before the school year has even started by being impolite. Even if other people do it."

Harry looked at me confused but as soon as he stood next to Draco Malfoy (I was on Harrys other side and so he didn't get a good look at me) he understood what I meant.

After some chatting and Harry realizing how little he knew about the magical world, Draco noticed Snape who had been buying parchment and quills.

"What is my godfather doing here?", he wondered aloud.

"He's helping us with our shopping", Harry explained.

"Really? Why aren't you with your parents?"

"They're dead."  
"Oh, sorry. But they were of our kind, right?"  
"She was a witch and he was a wizard if that's what you mean."  
"Oh, good. I really don't think they should let the other sort in, do you? They're just not the same, they've never been brought up to know our ways."

At that I couldn't hold it any longer and released a silent laugh.

"You think that's funny, do you?", he asked angrily, leaning back to get a look at me. I watched with amusement as his eyes grew wide when he saw a 'second' Harry Potter. Being the Slytherin that he was he quickly connected the dots.

"You're Harry and Charles Potter!"  
"Yes", I replied, "and you just made the mistake to insult us. After all, we haven't been brought up in magical ways either."

"I-" Malfoys cheeks became pink. "I didn't mean it like that!"  
"Oh, did you not?"'

"Well, you're from a pureblood line. You have a responsibility. If anyone would have reason to integrate as fast as possible it would be you two."

"Oh, so you actually meant that you didn't think they should let muggle-raised children allow to attend Hogwarts _without teaching them wizarding culture _beforehand?"

"Uh... yeah?"  
I smirked. "I totally agree with you on that one. Hell, Harry has never even heard of Hogwarts before he got his letter", I teased and nudged my brother.

"Hey! That's not fair, you haven't heard of it either."  
"Of course I have. I have _seen _it, remember? Practically grew up there."

Soon after Snape entered the shop and after a quick discussion with Draco we paid our new clothes and Snape dumped us in the book store while he brought potions ingredients from the apothecary. Harry was rather silent the whole time.

"I'd like to look at some other books not on the list", I said after Snape came to get us. "Harry, what do you think about going to Eyelops and to get yourself an owl?"  
"An... an owl?", he repeated incredulously.

"Yeah, sure. In my visions I always saw you with an owl. A big, white one named Hedwig. You'll have to wait another two years until you meet someone you can actually write to, but she'll be able to keep you company. Professor Snape, we could meet up at Ollivanders later. That way we waste as little time as possible."

As predicted Snape wanted to get this over with as much as I did so he agreed but insisted on staying with me and making sure I didn't get myself any cursed books.

Just to keep my disguise I brought two books on divination that sounded interesting. Snape wanted to prevent me from buying the book _Curses and Counter-Curses _saying it was to advanced.

"I have seen another first year casting the Petricifus Totalus this year so I'm sorry but I'd like to learn the counter! Besides our Defense teacher is going to suck this year. And the next too. Believe me, I need all the reading material I can get."

Just to make a good impression I brought another book on the effects of different preparation of magical ingredients and which went well with which and which would explode on one another. Also I brought a book on modern magical history. And of course, a book about occlumency. I had absolutely no intention of letting either Voldemort or Dumbledore know about the future.

Snape actually refrained from insulting me for the rest of the trip after that.

Later on we met at Ollivanders and now I was really curious. After all there could only be one holly and phoenix feather wand left, right? I insisted that Harry went to try out the wands first and fair enough, the scene played exactly the way it was supposed to.

"Now, Charles Potter it is...", Ollivander said, coming towards me. "Let's see which wand will chose you."


	4. The Hogwarts Express

Me again. Gods, I have bad luck. Yesterday my printer crushed, I locked myself out and I lost my wallet. And apparently I got a cold too.

Well, the last one is good for you since I had to stay at home the whole day and had lots of time to write. I normally don't post a chapter each day but I have still a couple of chapters left so, who cares? You can blame it on tazzledmuch, I don't want my dear readers to overstuff themselves ;-)

* * *

"Now, Charles Potter it is...", Ollivander said, coming towards me. "Let's see which wand will chose you. I'm sure we'll find the right wand for you too. Let's try this one, spruce and dragon heart string, eleven inches, very good for charms."

The moment I touched the wand immediately a shower of silver and gold sparks were emitted. I couldn't help but laugh. I must have been the easiest costumer Ollivander had had in years and I was chosen by a wand that couldn't be more common. No exotic wand core, to mysterious history, no exceptional powers. If that wasn't a change! Quite proper for someone who hated cliches.

On the way back to muggle London Harry finally couldn't resist his questions any longer. "Those people we met in the Leaky Cauldron earlier... and this boy in Madam Malkins... Why do they all know who we are? Why are we famous for something we can't even remember? Especially me... I mean, Charles is a seer and really good with magic already, but I'm just normal."  
"Hey!", I protested, "you're the one with Voldemorts brother wand, not me!"  
"Who?"  
"You know who!"

"I don't know who..."

Snape shuddered. "He means the Dark Lord. His actual name is Lord Voldemort but no one says it because people are still afraid."

"I can think on a lot of nasty jokes about that nick name, by the way", I snickered.

"There is nothing funny about the Dark Lord", Snape said scowling.  
"Sure not. Hey, how many killing curses do you need to kill a baby? Shush, don't say it, the Little Lord is still figuring it out!"

Even Harry cracked a little smile at that while Snape gave me a look that clearly said I had just lost all my plus points with him.

"But still – I don't know any magic. I don't know what Quidditch is or... Or Slytherin and Hufflepuff."

"Quidditch is a stupid and dangerous wizard sport", Snape said.

"Naturally you're gonna be awesome at it", I smirked. "Whole school is gonna love you just for that."

"And Slytherin and Hufflepuff", the Professor continued glaring at me, "are Hogwarts houses. There are four of them. Slytherin for the ambitious and cunning, Hufflepuff for the loyal and kind, Ravenclaw for the studious and knowledgeable and Gryffindor for the brave and strong-hearted."

"Oh, and don't forget that Gryffindor is for the foolish and suicidal, Ravenclaw for the stuck-up know-it-alls, Hufflepuff for the weak and naïve and Slytherin for the traitorous and evil. That is, if you look at prejudice."

"I bet I'm gonna be a Hufflepuff", Harry said sadly. "I'm really not that good at anything."

"Yeah? Well, I'm gonna be Slytherin. Does that mean I'm gonna be a Corpse Cruncher and join the Dark Lord?" I sneered. "No, you'll either be Slytherin, like me, or Gryffindor. Depending on your choice you're either gonna be murdered or commit suicide. And, mind you, if it's the second I'm so _not _going to help you. Although, if that reassures you, I'm not going to help with the murdering part either. I think."

Harry did _not _look reassured.

It was my goal to change that godforsaken story line, at least for as long as I had to stay in this world. So I wouldn't sit around doing nothing. That meant Hufflepuff and Ravenclaw, the more passive houses, were out for me. No way in hell I was going to Gryffindor so that really left only one choice. As for Harry, well he hadn't heard that nonsense from Hagrid that there wasn't a witch or wizard who went bad who wasn't in Slytherin (except for Pettigrew. Duh.) and that Voldemort was one while Dumbldedore was a Gryffindor. So now he didn't really have a reason to keep the hat from putting him where he belonged. On the other hand if Harry really had developed an inferiority complex because of me he might even become a Raven or a Puff.

"Is there any house where I wouldn't end up dead?", Harry asked miserably.

"Well", I though aloud, "you see, when I have a vision I can't always say if it's about me or about you, partly because we look so much alike but also because even if someone calls us we're just both 'Potter', you know? So it doesn't necessarily have to be you who dies. It could be me too. Which is kind of more likely 'cause I don't get any pictures from beyond seventh year. So I suppose you should just go where you're being sent and be good with it. We can always make sure we get expelled before the really hard core stuff begins."

"Oh yeah thanks", Harry said sarcastically. "That's, that's really cheering me up."

"Always a pleasure." As a matter of fact I was not afraid of dying. I wanted to live a normal peaceful life but if I couldn't have that having lots of fun and dying somewhere down that line was my next favorite. After all there was a more then likely chance for me to get into my real world if I did. And if I didn't... well that would suck but I refused to let myself be lead around like some stupid childrens books character only to never be able to enjoy my happy ending because... Well, because it wouldn't feel real. I couldn't see Harry as my brother although we were twins, who normally had a really strong bond. Then how would I ever be able to, for example, love a girl here? They were either so boring and insignificant they weren't even mentioned in the books or I had heard so many horror stories (thanks, ) about them that I couldn't possibly bring myself to even coming near them.

* * *

The next month passed without me really noticing. The Dursley wanted to give us Dudleys old bedroom but after releasing Notch and let him hiss at them threateningly they agreed to give me the guest room instead, that was normally reserved for Marge. It was only slightly bigger then Harrys but had the advantage of me being able to brew potions in it unnoticed (I always locked the door with magic.) Even if I was forbidden to ever touch a wand again after being expelled I would still be able to brew potions so that was what I wanted to concentrate on. Not to mention potion was an art that covered almost all others. You could use them to hurt someone, to build a shield, to heal, to poison, to get all sorts of funny effects and even to transfigure. A potions master could really do anything and more with a cauldron that a normal wizard did with his wand.

Maybe it was the fact that I had been about to study chemistry in my real life that I had such enthusiasm for it. Either way, Harry found it boring and compared it to cooking. Ignorant little fool.

Either way I tried to teach Harry a few magic tricks but quickly found that he didn't posses the patience necessary in order to reach for the magical core. I had already a pretty good grasp of it, partly because I had really tried hard to clear my mind before going to sleep for five years now. I was usually rewarded with dreamless sleep.

Soon the first September arrived. I had sent Harrys owl reporting Hagrids use of magic on Dudley to the ministry. (Yes I know, I'm evil.) The same day a wizard had come to remove it and, on my request, obilivate the incident. I didn't doubt that Dumbledore would manage to get Hagrid out of the mess but if I was lucky he would never be able to teach Care of Magical Creatures.

Anyway the Dursleys didn't have a reason to give us a lift. But after I said that I would be perfectly content just staying with them and Harry catching up with my line of though and nodding eagerly, they made sure we got to Kings Cross with two hours to spare. If possible I wanted to avoid the ginger farm so I lead Harry to a quick breakfast before heading directly for the train.

"It says on the ticket we have to go to platform nine and three-quarters...", Harry mused. "That has to be some kind of mistake. Can I see your ticket?"  
"My ticket? Oh, I threw that away", I shrugged.

"What?!"  
"Calm down, the ticket is just for show. We don't actually get asked for it. Besides, only first years get one so that they know where to go." We had arrived at platform nine and ten.

"So... where is our platform?"

"We have to run really hard against that pillar."

Harry gave me a look. "Seriously?"

"Of course not, you dimwit", I laughed. "That would be far to suspicious and we can't let the muggles see us. We'll just go over there and lean against it casually."

"O...kay..."

"Excuse me, boys?"

We turned around to see a nice looking family of muggles approaching us. I would've dismissed them hadn't I recognized the extraordinary bushy hair of the little girl that was with them.

Hermione Granger stepped forward and addressed us with nothing short of arrogance:

"I'm sorry it's just that I noticed your unusual pet and your luggage indicating a long journey, may you be heading for Hogwarts?"  
"We are", I said before Harry could say anything. "Let me guess you're a muggleborn and no one cared to tell you how to get to the platform?"

"That's right", she huffed, clearly frustrated. "My name is Hermione Granger."

"They really _should _offer classes in wizarding traditions for muggle-raised. I mean there's a whole month between getting your letter and having to come to school, that's more then enough time. Dear brother of mine could really use that."  
"Oh, so you're muggleborns too?", she said, deflating a bit. "I suppose you don't know either then?"

"Well, no", Harry said.

I rolled my eyes. "I _do _know and I just told you! The pillar over there is the portal."

"How do you know?", Mrs Granger wanted to know. "I mean, if no one told you."  
"I'm a seer", I said. Lying became easier each time. "I saw us going through that portal multiple times. No come on, let's hurry before the invasion of gingers starts."  
"The what?", Hermione asked but I was already on my way. Confidently I strolled over to the pillar, waited until a small group of tourists passed by and in their shadow, leaned against the wall. There was no resistance.

Quickly I stepped aside as to not to block the passage and made my way to the giant red engine.

Harry, Hermione and I got an empty compartment for ourselves somewhere in the middle of the train. The girl immediately started asking questions about Hogwarts, seers and generally talking about her excitement and her books. When we finally had time to introduce ourselves she began talking about all the books she had read about us.

"And you can really see into the future? I think divination sounds kind of foggy..."  
"It usually is", I admitted seriously. "But for me it's just that I see pictures or have dreams that are to be interpreted. Usually they are vague and I only understand what they mean shortly before they come true. For example I saw my brother and me run against a pillar more then once. Only in the last few days I realized that that was probably the portal to the platform. In another vision I saw one of us, again it's not always sure which of us it is about but it seemed to be Harry, meeting a boy called Malfoy in Madam Malkins. But after that I changed a few things, leading to me being there too and so the course of conversation like I knew it was changed. It means that I cannot predict every little detail even _if_ I saw the event before. I could still use the knowledge that Malfoy would be in that shop on that exact day since I could be sure that I haven't changed anything that could've changed that."

"Bravo", Harry called out, "now we're even more confused then before."

"Oh come on, it's not that difficult! I know that Malfoy will come during our train ride again but I don't know what he'll say because our meeting with him didn't go as I saw it before, which changes the entire time line. On the other hand I know that that one boy will lose his toad and that he won't find it until we reach Hogwarts."  
Right at that moment the compartment door opened and sure enough there were Draco Malfoy and his bodyguards.

"Harry and Charles Potter", he drawled, not even sparing a glance do Hermione. "We did not have time for a proper introduction last time we met. My name is Draco Malfoy. This is Crabbe and Goyle."

"Pleasure", I said without much care. "I'm Charles, that's my brother Harry and over there is Harriet Gager."

"It's Hermione Granger!"  
"Oh yeah, right."

Hermione leaned over to Harry: "If he didn't introduce himself before, then how does he know his name but forgot about mine?"  
Harry just shrugged so I answered for him. "Oh please, Malfoy's gonna be our classmate for the next seven years, I've been bound to hear his name more then once."

"It's nice to meet you", she said, puffing up her chest. "But I still don't believe that Charles predicted you coming. You could have just agreed upon meeting here before."  
"What is she talking about?", Malfoy asked me.

I shrugged. "Hermione doesn't believe I'm a seer."

"You can see the future?!"  
"No Malfoy, but the nargles can", I scoffed. "Am I the only one who hears their voices?" I shook my head. "Nevermind. Hey Malfoy, you wanna sit with us? It might spare us the ginger invasion."

"You keep talking about that one", Harry said. "But what do you mean by it?"  
"You'll see soon enough", I reassured him.

Unsurprisingly Malfoy did want to sit with us and with Crabbe and Goyle taking three seats for themselves our compartment was now full.

"I can't seem to recognize the last name Granger", Malfoy though aloud, watching Hermione carefully. "You're not one of the other sort, are you?"  
"Yes, Hermelin is", I answered for her, "and before you say anything else, let me tell you that she's gonna help me to set up some pre-school classes for muggle raised in order to better understand wizarding culture."  
"I am?", she asked, raising an eyebrow. "And it's Hermione! It's not that difficult."

"So sorry, dear. How about I make it up to you." I smirked. "It'll be a long term project. I propose we start testing the idea by offering classes for first year muggleborns. We can get purebloods to teach us. After all the curriculum offers Muggle Studies and I say there shall be equal rights for all." I winked at Malfoy careful to not let it be noticed by Hermione. Understanding dawned on his face. Telling the muggleborns that they had to integrate in wizarding culture, teaching them stuff that was supposed to be the basics of the basics by everyone else was a very backhanded way of insulting them. It made the idea a great inside joke for the purebloods and gave them a chance to boast about their superior knowledge.

Hermione however, ever so eager to learn new things, was just as delighted by the idea.

"That would be a great idea! In _Hogwarts, a History _it says that the teachers greatly support inter-house friendships so we may even gain point through that. And – And we could elaborate our studies researching small spells that help with everyday chores, things that pureblood wizards would use automatically. Oh and if the purebloods could ask their parents for rare spell books that are only to be found in ancient family libraries, just imagine!"

I chuckled slightly at the expression of pure horror on Malfoys face. "Is she serious?!"

"Now calm down, Malfoy. Minnie is going to be the smartest witch of her age. You'd regret to pass up the chance of making friends with her." To Hermione who had blushed at my words and didn't bother to correct me this time, I said: "First thing to learn for you, my dear: Ancient families tend to keep their knowledge close. Unless you're a really good friend or betrothed to a family member they won't let you even glimpse at their books. It might be safer to ask for specific spells and even then you should think about giving them something in return."

Our conversation was interrupted by the trolley. Harry immediately bought lots of sweets. He wanted to share it with the rest but Hermione declined, being the daughter of two dentists. So did Malfoy and me but Crabbe and Goyle happily stuffed their big mouths.

Meanwhile the subject turned to pets.

"Your owl is really beautiful", Hermione complimented my brother.  
"Thanks. Her name is Hedwig."  
"Oh, after the famous witch who wrote the first release of _Walpurgis gone wrong: Disasters of the 15__th__ century?"_

"Eh..."

"I only read the comments of Timitus the Scrawny but I really have to say that..."  
Cruelly I left my poor brother to his fate and turned towards the soon-to-be-Slytherins. "Do you guys have any pets?"  
"Oh yes, I have an eagle owl called Erebos", Malfoy said proudly. "He's too big to take him with me so father is sending him to me as soon as I'm in Hogwarts."

"That's pretty smart. You know, I wondered about something. In our letters it says that we're allowed to bring either a cat, an owl or a toad. But I know for a fact that there's gonna be a boy who owns a rat and on the platform I even saw one with a tarantula. Exactly how strict are they with the rules nowadays?"

"That depends", Malfoy said. "If you have good connections to the board of Governors or family ties to one of the teachers they would let you keep almost every other pet too as long as it's harmless and not to big. That means no muggle pets like dogs or horses or such crap."

"Oh, I read about school laws", Hermione happily, "that the pets are supposed to represent the house animals. So there are cats for the lion of Gryffindor, owls for the eagle of Ravenclaw, amphibian like toads for the serpent of Slytherin and they had rats for the badger of Hufflepuff but they got out of fashion after the great rat plague in 1683."  
Malfoy grimaced at the idea of toads representing Slytherin but Hermione either didn't notice or didn't care.

"In 1734 when a heir of Hufflepuff wanted to bring his own niffler he arranged it so that every pet was allowed as long as you could convincingly explain the physical or symbolic relation to your house animal. He then argued that since badgers and nifflers both lived underearth and build their tunnels that they were close enough and he should be allowed one."

Heh, another reason for me to go to Slytherin. I planned to keep Notch a secret as long as possible but in case he was discovered I could use that law.

The compartment door opened again.

"Ouch! Ginger!", I cried, pretending to be afraid and hiding behind Crabbe.

"Oh no", Ron Weasly huffed annoyed. "It seems to be full here too."

"Nevermind my stupid brother", Harry said friendly. "He's just being his usual annoying self." It seemed he was happy seeing another child that would not make him feel stupid like Hermione or out of place like Malfoy.

"Did you honestly search the whole train for a seat until now?", Malfoy sneered. "We're already driving for two hours!"

Rons face became as red as his hair. "My brothers are just being annoying, alright!"

Malfoy sneered. "Oh yes, how could I not have noticed? Red hear, hand-me-down clothes and more children then they can afford, you must be a Weasley."

"Leave him alone, Malfoy", Harry snapped.

Ron gave him a grateful look. Then another. And then his eyes went really big. "You – you're one of the Potter twins, aren't you?!"

"Yeah", Harry said unconcerned.

"A-And do you have the – you know?"

"What?"  
"The _scar!"_

"Sure", Harry said and happily lifted his fringe.

Malfoy just rolled his eyes but I scowled when he turned to me, looking as if he wanted to see my scar too. "You _do _realize that it it incredibly impolite to stare? Not to mention to remind people of old wounds that are still left from the night their parents were brutally murdered right in front of their eyes?"

Ron went even redder while the rest of the group looked distinctly uncomfortable.

"Just saying."

Ron murmured a quick apology and left the compartment.

Malfoy and I high-fived.

"Gods, I can't stand this guy", I said.

"Why is that?", Hermione asked scowling. "You have never met him before."

"Cause he's housing a Corpse Cruncher." Another shrug. "And he's a jealous git. He's absolutely average and he knows that which makes him kind of prejudiced against anything that's not normal. Unfortunately that includes me so there's gonna be a lot of friction between us for as long as I'm in Hogwarts." I didn't need to be a seer to know that. I had always hated Ron Weasley the most. Well, after Dumbldedore that is.

"You and I will get along greatly", Malfoy stated smirking.

"I still think you're being unfair", Hermione said, crossing her arms. "Even if you think he'll be difficult, then shouldn't you try to be friendly with him from the start so it wouldn't come to that?"  
"Hey he's the one who acted like I was some kind of animal in a zoo! If someone says something stupid it's my legal obligation to give a sarcastic retort. It's not like I insulted him or something I just spoke the truth. If you're always that offended by the truth then you really have to change something about your life style. Because people will keep telling you it."

Hermione could not argue back to that so she droped the subject. I had known that it would be difficult to convince her of my seer-theory but I didn't think she would doubt so soon. Maybe I needed another plan for her.


	5. The Sorting

Wow, that's quite a discussion going on there behind the scenes.

About making Charles too young: Hey, I've not even offered an explanation how he got into that mess ('cause it's really not the subject). But whatever it was had to be some piece of awesome magic and then it could easily have to do with time travel so... I can do with the timeline whatever the hell I want. Same goes for him having to have a childs emotion just because he's in a childs body. You have to realize that by now he's about 30 mental age and still acting rather childishly. I for one imagine him being stuck at the mental age he had when he first entered potterunivers. That means he can make plans seriously and face mortal dangers as well as pout and prank and tease like a teenager. I need him to be flexible after all or I'd lose the 'kickass-factor'.

Oh, and the goblins made him do an appointement 'cause they don't like humans in general and like to annoy them. He went with it because first, he had the time and second, he didn't want to lose their favor.

I think that's it for now. I'm trying to not to make the OC too powerful but imagine, he doesn't only know about the future, he knows how these people think. He knows what they feel, what they wish for, what their dreams are. Therefore he's good at manipulating people and doing so he can use their strenghs for himself. It's why the the Slytherins aren't able to pushl him down, as you'll see.

* * *

The train had almost reached its destination. Since Hermione had already changed she went outside so we could put on our robes. Harry was unusual silent. I knew that he felt being left out but didn't do anything about it. If he went to Slytherin I would do my best to help him integrate himself but if he was left to Gryffindor I would keep my distance. The more I was with him the more I changed and the less I could predict. I could best change the story line by disrupting his little rescue plans in the last moment or act as some kind of antagonist towards him. I would always be a step ahead of him. Destroying the horcruxes, knowing where they were, was no real problem and I even got plans getting rid of Voldemort himself should the need arise. My primary goal was to not to die a savior. Since I was a horcrux myself and unwilling to be a sacrifice I would have to work against the order and Dumbldedore and Voldemort simultaneously. I would need every ally I could get who wasn't on their side. Making an enemy out of Ron Weasley so early was just a way to ensure that later on I would have a reason to decline the order. That and it gave me incredible personal satisfaction.

Hermione looked more smug the more time passed by until the train finally slowed down. Leaving the compartment we met a very distraught Neville Longbottom who tearfully asked if we had seen a toad. Hermiones face fell and I grinned at her.

When the train stopped Hagrid took us to the castle. I chose to be in a boat together with my brother, Malfoy and Hermione. When we reached the underground harbor I secretly asked myself why the hell this place was never mentioned ever again in the books. This place was awesome. Perfect for secret meetings and such things if the Room of Requirement wasn't available. I bet you could find a lot of snogging couples here too.

We were lead to the small chamber where I didn't listen to McGonogalls speech.

"She didn't say how the Sorting is supposed to be done", Harry said warily after she left.

"No one knows until they actually come here", Malfoy said. "My father wouldn't tell me either. You're supposed to find out for yourself, don't ask me why."

Hermione immediately stared listing all the spells she knew.

"You know, Hermandy", I told her, "you should really aim for Ravenclaw. I heard they form study groups there. You would enjoy that."  
"Oh", she said, "but I heard Gryffindor was the best house. Dumbledore himself was one. And it's Hermione, for god's sake!"  
"Well yeah", I answered, "but then you'd be in one house with _him." _I nodded towards Ron who just told Neville:  
"My brothers said we have to wrestle a troll to get sorted!"  
"Nah", I whispered so only he could hear, "that's reserved for the Halloween Special. You have to knock it off in order to pass your preliminary defense exam."

Ron shoot me an angry glare but I just snickered.

"Don't be stupid", Hermione drawled, "it can't be something dangerous."

Just then the ghosts passed by, ending the conversation. Shortly after the sorting began and we all formed a line. Hearing the hat's song I wondered once again if there was a story behind the order the houses were always called. Whenever someone talked about them it was always Gryffindor first and Slytherin last, even if it was the hat.

Unlike the movies the students were indeed called in alphabetical order. Abott, , Bones, Boot, Brocklehurst... I suppressed a yawn.

"Granger, Hermione!"

Hermione sat on the chair for a couple of minutes. Sometimes she would scowl or smile in reaction to the hat. Finally it called out:  
"RAVENCLAW!"

I applauded together with the rest of the hall and grinned. Hermione was a stuck-up know-it-all but with her being in Ravenclaw around other boring know-it-alls she was bound to be less strict regarding rules and more keen to search for adventure. That I could use for me. And I liked messing with her.

"Longbottom, Neville."  
"GRYFFINDOR!"

I let my gaze wander to the enchanted ceiling. You could say whatever you wanted, _that _was a true piece of art.

"Malfoy, Draco."  
"SLYTHERIN!"  
No surprise here.

And finally, after another couple of names...  
"Potter, Charles."

Immediately whispers broke out everywhere. I was seriously tempted to give them all the finger when I walked over to the chair. Glaring at the crowd I took the hat and put it on my head.

Silence.

I waited. And waited. And-

"_You know, this would go a lot faster if you would just lower your occlumency shields."_

Oh, right. Step one of occlumency. I had read that after some years of training to clear your mind once in a while you developed some kind of shield for your mind that stayed there even if you weren't paying attention 24/7.

I made an effort to organize my mind, going two and a half steps into meditation and strangely enough it was as if I could actually feel someone invade.

Oh, I though, that's how it feels like to be legilimensed, huh? Well, let's try something out...

"_Holy mother of Merlin, what the hell is going on?!",_the hat cried as I attacked him with a maximum volume of heavy metal music. Step two of occlumency: Scare intruders away by attacking them with shocking images, visions, sounds or even smells.

The hat drew back and I barely controlled my snickering

'Sorry', I though to the hat, 'I just couldn't resist. You can go on now.' I turned the music off.

"_Fine"_, the hat huffed. _"But please refrain from any more jokes like that_."

I felt the hat's mind invade again. He began looking around for a while but then...

"_Alright, this isn't funny anymore! Your head is full of cabbage!"_

At this I actually burst out laughing. The students in the hall looked at me as if I were crazy, asking themselves what the hell I was doing.

Step three of occlumency: If the intruder can't be chased away show him fake memories or let your mind circle around a single harmless though so he won't be able to see anything else.

"_It is _not _my job to help you test how far your occlumency skills reach! I can assure you that no wizard currently alive will be able to get more then a few disjointed surface thoughts from you. Now let me sort you or I have to tell the headmaster that you won't join the student body this year."_

_'_You think I could hold off Dumbldedore with my skills? And you won't tell him?', I asked the hat curious. 'Or Moldyshorts, for that matter.'

"_Yes, yes, now – wait, who is Moldyshorts?"  
_I sighed. 'I guess I'll just let you in. But this is an exception!'

I stopped concentrating on cabbage and I swear this time I could hear the hat sigh. He went through my mind far longer then I though appropriate before clenching almost painfully around my head.

"_You seem to have a great hatred for lot's of people in this school. You're even going as far as wanting to see them suffer and die. Are you a danger to Hogwarts?"  
_'What, is that all you have to say to my awesome past?'

"_Your secrets do not concern me. Answer the question!"  
_'Does that mean it's okay that I want those people to suffer but if I want to hurt the school you throw me out?!', I asked incredulously.

"_There have been times before when Hogwarts housed students who inherited their parents feuds or were drawn early into different kinds of wars. Now DO ANSWER THE QUESTION!"  
_He actually sounded a little bit scary.

'Alright, alright! No, I'm not a danger to Hogwarts. Actually, I think she's awesome. I hate Dumbldedore and half the staff and those stupid students and their parents with their prejudices for what they made her to be. They have degraded the castle to a mix of an asylum for politically prosecuted and bloody elementary school. I want to show this world how stupid these people are and how much potential they're disregarding by running things like they do. I want to return Hogwarts to a place of education in all fields. I'm not sure about the details yet but I'm not going to let Moldyshorts use his giant to destroy half of the castle like he did in the books. Happy now?'

"_I am." _The hat relaxed again, probably feeling me telling the truth. "_Now I know you want to be in Slytherin and there's no denying it, you have everything you'd need in your head... Slytherins resources might help you to reach your goal at first but if people reject your little reformations you will only worsen the name of Slytherin. They already have it hard enough as it is."  
'_Yeah but if I succeed that'll be the first respected great wizard from that house in, what, 300 years or so? And in all honesty but the headmistress sent the entire Slytherin house to be imprisoned in their common room before the battle started. How the hell can I let the mistrust against them rise over _that?'_

"_... alright, I'll give you that one. I'll grant your wish even if I'm not sure it's the best choice."  
'_For me?'

"_For everyone else. Now, do me a last favor and at least _try _to not to become a dark wizard in _SLYTHERIN!"

I must have chatted with the hat for a little over ten minutes. When I put off the hat and walked over to the silver-green table I couldn't get the grin off my face when I met all those shocked faces. Malfoy was the first to recover and applaud after which the rest of the house reluctantly followed. Even the Ravens and Puffs were polite enough to do so after some time. I didn't look back to see the twinkle in Dumbldedores eyes disappear.

"Wow, Potter", Malfoy said as I chose a seat next to him, "that must have been the longest sorting in the last, I don't know, 200 years! What the hell took you so long? And what was so funny?"

"Oh, you know, first I teased the hat a bit by not letting him into my mind. When I finally did I shocked him with the revelation that I'm actually Salazar Slytherin reborn and then we had a nice chat about the founding days. I had to laugh when he told me that the reason he volunteered for the sorting job was that he wanted to escape Godrics head. Lot's of lice in that mane of his, you know?"

Malfoy – I suppose he was Draco now that we were dorm mates – burst out laughing, an action that was copied by his bodyguards as soon as they caught up. Now the rest of the first years dropped their mistrusting faces one by one.

"All hail Lord Slytherin", a second year I didn't recognize said smirking, "the reincarnation of all evil and successor of the last Dark Lord. You do realize that you'll carry that brand now and for all eternity, don't you?"

"Oh, and there I was thinking there were no such things as prejudices in the world. My, you may have shattered my entire world with those cruel words!"

Draco laughed again. "We two will get along greatly!"  
"You keep saying that but I've yet to see if you can keep up", I teased.

"Potter, Harry!", McGonogall called out and I turned my attention to the front again.

"What do you think", Draco asked when my brother made his way to the chair, "is your brother like you?"

"Honestly", I answered, "I have no idea. I guess he would have it in him but he can be so stubborn sometimes. If he wanted to I bet he could talk the hat into putting him wherever he wants it to. That means it all depends on whenever or not you've made a good first impression", I teased.

Finally the hat opened its mouth and shouted:  
"GRYFFINDOR!"

The hall erupted in cheers. I hung my head in mock desperation but when Harry happily bounced over to the red and golden table he received the loudest applause of all.

"Thanks, Draco." I glared at him. "Because of you my brother is going to die a horrible death."

"Wha – what do you mean? I didn't do anything!"

I glared some more. "Harry had the opportunity to come with me to Slytherin house. It's undoubtly your bad influence that prevented that, making him chose another house. And now, as a Gryffindor, he's bound to die. And to suffer. You know, like in, being crucioed a couple of times before being allowed to kick the bucket. It's because they'll support his goddamn hero complex in there."

Draco just gaped at me while Dumbldedore made his nonsense speech.

The food arrived and, grabbing a knife and fork, I shrugged and said. "Oh, but nevermind. I never really liked him that much anyway. Do you want some steak?"

Now I had officially managed to freak the Malfoy heir out. I chuckled a little bit seeing the stupid face he made and loaded my own plate with food.

A few minutes into the feast the translucent form of a rather grim looking ghost came hovering towards us.

"See who does us the honors", I said when he sat down next to Draco, across from me. Malfoy turned very pale and seemed as if he liked his position less and less.

"Don't talk to him like that!", the blonde boy hissed. "That's the Bloody Baron, the house ghost of Slytherin."

"I know who he is", I replied. "I'm Salazar Slytherin reborn, remember? I still know him from when I was alive." And as if to prove my point I leaned over at the ghost and asked with an evil smirk: "My, my, you don't look so good nowadays, do you, my dear baron? How's the beautiful Helena doing, is she still here too?"

Slowly, very slowly the Baron turned his head around to look at me. Just in this moment I made a movement as if to grab something to drink. Notch was still curled around my torso disguised as a tattoo and he jerked at my sudden movement. For a split second his head poked from under my robes to be seen by the ghost.

The Bloody baron scowled at me. Then his face went pale and for a pearly white figure like him that meant something.

"I do not know what you mean", he said stiffly before standing up again and gliding away.

The boy named Blaise Zabini gaped at me. "Did you just... scare away the Bloody Baron?!"

"Yeah, that kind of thing sometimes happens to me. Even though I just wanted to be polite..."

Zabini looked at Malfoy with wide eyes. "He's not serious about the rebirth thing, right?"

I rolled my eyes at the stupidity of secondary characters.

After some more chatting I found out that besides my worries the Slytherins seemed to accept me fast enough. Some of them had to know each other from their childhoods and in that group Draco seemed to be the leader. The way how he was showing obvious favoritism if not respect towards me prevented them from making any snide comments. Of course it may also have something to do with them meeting a non-fictional person for the first time and simply being blinded by my awesomeness.

"Hey Potter!", a girl a vaguely remembered to be called Daphne called, "exactly what is your brother doing over there?"

I was fast enough to caught Harry rubbing his forehead in pain before he turned to talk to Percy. That must have been the first time his scar hurt like that. I had no desire to share his pain so I refrained from looking over to the head table myself.

"Seems like he's having a vision", I said shrugging. "You know, that's because Harry is really just the Dark Lord being reborn. A piece of him has taken possession of my baby brother that night. It's slowly devouring his character until he turns into a second Voldemort - " everyone flinched and turned to me, shocked "- I guess letting himself be sorted into Gryffindor is a last desperate attempt to flee from that fate... Or it may already be the first step of infiltration. Either way those visions are really just memories but his mind tries to push them back so it's painful for him. It doesn't really matter. He's going to die anyway. After all, there can only be one Dark Lord."

For a moment there was nothing but stunned silence.

"You know", an older Slytherin said, "that's not funny anymore. You shouldn't speak the name of the Dark Lord so freely. And especially you should not make jokes about his return."

"Alright", I gave in. "If it makes you feel better, I'll call him Moldyshorts from now on. Maybe that will teach that damn halfblood to not to taint my noble bloodline with his disgusting muggle blood. It's bad enough that I was to be reborn as the son of a mudblood..."

I saw that the students couldn't decide anymore if I was just incredible stupid, suicidal or if I actually believed what I said, making me a mad man. Either way it was always better to leave those alone that did not understand where to stop when it came to such dangerous tendencies.

And so that was just what they did, leave me alone. They continued to watch me wary but their gazes were far less hostile then when I first came to their table. Unlike what some people believed, those students were not mini death eaters. They were children. They were first years that didn't know shit about deception or emotional masks and the like. They had potential and they would learn but right now they were far from being perfect Slytherins. I deliberately pushed myself into the middle of their attention but all I did was confusing them. However they couldn't just dismiss me either because I was Charles Potter. I was famous and it was dangerous to dismiss me so early when I could prove to be an incredible useful tool or a freaking dangerous psychopath later on.

At the front Dumbldedore now stood up to tell people about the forbidden third corridor.

I just snorted and turned back to my dessert before he even finished speaking.

"Hogwarts is the safest place you can think of. Yeah, sure", I murmured. Again Draco gave me a strange look but didn't comment.

And then came the school song.

"_Hogwarts, Hogwarts, Hoggy Warty Hogwarts..."_

"Gods", I cried trying to drown the horrible music, "please tell me they don't do that every year!?"

A few places down the table a couple of sixth years covered their ears and complaining:  
"What the hell!? That song is _so _outdated it was written by, what, 300 years ago?!"  
"450", the other answered, "by Barnabas the Barmy. And trust me, that he was!"

"Guess that answers that question", I said to myself.


	6. The Bloody Baron

_... _I really _am _pampering you, am I not?

* * *

_Finally _the torture was over and the prefects lead us to our new common room. When we stopped in front of a bare wall the prefects (who was he again? Marcus Flint? I didn't recognize the girl next to him) turned towards us.

"The common rooms are all hidden in different sections of the castle. Ravenclaw and Gryffindor are in the towers, Hufflepuff is in the eastern dungeons and ours is here, in the western dungeons. Do _never_ tell anyone where the entrance or what the password is. It is changed every two weeks on Monday morning. Prefects know the new one two days ahead so make sure you get it in time from one of us", the girl explained.

"_Ancient house"_, Flint said and a hidden stone door opened up for us.

The Slytherin common room was surprisingly long. There were no windows but a few paintings showing underwater motives. A couple of lamps were hanging from chains from the stone ceiling, emitting a slightly green tinted light. A giant fireplace could be seen ahead of us with a elaborately carved mantelpiece. The carved chairs in front of it were mostly empty now.

"Boys to the right, girls to the left", Flint grunted, pointing at a couple of spiral staircases that were leading even farther down. "You do the rest?"  
The girl nodded and Flint left for the dormitories.

"Before you'll have your first classes tomorrow I'll explain to you the basic Slytherin rules. Rule number one: Slytherins stick together. I don't care what kind of argument you might have with your house mates. Those problems are not to leave the common room. If you can't deal with a matter on your own ask other allies or, if you're that weak that you have to go to a teacher, go to Professor Snape, our head of house. In front of the rest of the school you are to present a joint front. If one of us got a problem with another classmate I expect that you help him out. You might need his support later on yourself. Also you will soon learn that Slytherins tend to build up their own hierarchy. You will not receive help from one of us if you're trying and failing to climb that latter by attacking a house mate. But even when you manage to hold yourself on top of your year mates, you are to respect your elders. When you take someone under your protection it is your responsibility to make sure they won't get in trouble. Same goes for academics. The ones who get in the upper ranks will have to help out those in the lower ones. The older years will only help you as part of returning a favor. Those can be earned whenever an older student asks you to do something for him. Now this is your last chance to ask any questions."

There were a few but after some time we were all send to bed.

The beds were far to big for little firsties but they had two big advantages. One was a wooden shelf above and the second were the dark green hangings that had charms on it that would make it impossible to open them from the outside when someone was in the bed. They muffled all noise too. I had read about those spells in _Hogwarts, A Histor_y and it was actually one of the reasons why I had wanted to be in Slytherin so badly.

I unpacked my shrunken terrarium from my trunk that was charmed to grew back to normal size with a tip of my wand. Now finally I could let Notch free to sleep in his new home that stood above my bed where nobody would be able to see it, not even my dorm mates. I planned to keep him a secret until I was sure that either I could trust the boys or knew how to intimidate them.

* * *

The following week was rather annoying. Astronomy and herbology were interesting enough but of little use for me. Transfiguration was the only subject that allowed us to do magic in the first class. So I spend charms, history and defense continuing to practice changing my match into a needle and back again. Binns didn't even notice, Flitwick left me alone when I could still answer his questions and Quirrell... Well, Quirrell was a matter for himself. If I hadn't known about the books I would have brought his idiot act. He was incredibly pathetic. I knew I had to be careful around him nonetheless. Voldemort was a master legilimens and I couldn't have him know that I could shield my mind. That's why I had to drop my natural shields around him. So my plan was to fully concentrate on homework or practicing other kinds of magic in his class. While doing that I would still be able to detect it if he tried to enter my mind. Then I could use my second defense. Only that instead of Heavy Metal, I suppose loving memories of lots of hugs and kisses were more appropriate to scare away a Dark Lord.

It was really hard concentrating on nothing but the match in front of me but after practicing it in charms and and history I was able to pull it of in defense as well. And of course it had the added effect of me mastering the spell in my very first week and having less homework in the afternoon.

Another incredibly annoying thing (aside from Filch, but I had already expected that much) was the castle itself. It was practically a labyrinth and the stairs and corridors changing direction as well as the paintings, suit of armors and even some statues walking around didn't help any. At the end of the week I was seriously considering breaking into the Gryffindor common room and stealing the Marauders Map from the Weasley twins. However it turned out I didn't even need to do that because on Wednesday evening I received help from a source I really hadn't expected to come forward.

* * *

I was sitting in the common room late at night finishing my herbology essay. The room was empty aside from a couple of third years on the other end. I was just figuring out how to do a summoning charm as an extension of the Wingardium Leviosa to let the ink pot hover towards me when the little warmth of the fire in front of me got cut off. I raised my head to see a pearly white figure hovering a few inches above the ground. The Bloody Baron had crossed his arms in front of his chest, looking at me with a piercing stare.

"Can I help you with something?", I asked politely.

He just stared at me some more with those cold eyes of his. As if he was searching for something in my very soul.

Just when I was about to avert my gaze he said: "You despise them."

"Excuse me?", I said, raising an eyebrow.

"You may humor them, you may play around but in in truth you despise them all. Even those from your own house. No... maybe even especially those."

"Now, my dear Baron, are you still angry about me mentioning Helena in front of everyone? You have to admit, chasing after her was not your brightest idea..."

"Who are you really?", he interrupted me harshly. "And how did you know about Helena and me?"

"Now, didn't I tell you that already?"

He shook his head but there was a glint of doubt in his eyes. "You are... a lot like him. But you can't be. He's dead. I'm sure of it."

I leaned over to him, giving the ghost my best evil smirk. "I may not be the original... I am... Well, I suppose you could call me the core of everything that's Slytherin – in its original meaning. This house is rotten. Not even I would be able to fix it, not during this political climate and not as long as I'm a student. But the other houses are even worse of. At least here the main subject, the acceptance of all kinds and branches of magic, has survived if nothing else."

"You know, people often think the cat cruel that plays around with the mouse before it eats it. What does that make you, who doesn't even plan to ever release his prey? Who doesn't really need the food and still wants to make others suffer?"

"According to this century's standard it makes me a Slytherin", I stated coldly. "Treat your people like you want to be treated, right? I don't feel particulary well treated so I'm returning their favor. Ravenclaws are supposed to help out their year mates from other houses. Instead they keep to themselves. Hufflepuffs are supposed to settle disputes. Yet when they see Gryffindors and Slytherins fighting they run away in fright. Gryffindors are supposed to stand up against unfairness and corruption. Yet they do absolutely nothing while subjects such as defense and history are rendered to be nothing but a joke. The teachers are incompetent, the care taker lets his anger out on little children and the head of Slytherin house is displaying a horrifying favoritism. It's Gryffindor that's supposed to do something against that, to complain to the headmaster of even to set thing rolling so he gets replaced... But all they do is being happy about having less homework.

And Slytherin... Slytherin is supposed to use its connection to the Governors Board during to its pureblood ties to make sure those demands can be fulfilled. It's supposed to shut up all those trouble makers and bullies that can't be punished through detentions or taking points. It's supposed to be the secret network that protects the school and the peace within by getting rid of the filth that taints it. An no, I'm not speaking about mud bloods. In old times those may have been the main source of trouble but they aren't anymore." I looked the ghost in the eyes without fear. "That was what Slytherin house was originally supposed to be. I'm not sure if it can ever be that way again. That's why I've decided if I can't save my house... I may as well avenge it." Yeah, I admit, I stole that line. But hey, I was making up a whole lot of shit here anyway and it _did _sound cool.

I seemed to have managed to make him thinking. My gaze darkened a bit as I said: "I don't care about your dirty little secret... But believe me, when I start getting things to change you better not interfere with my business. They deserve everything I could possibly throw at them. Believe me, I have seen their past... and I have seen their future."  
"The core of Slytherin...", the Baron repeated. "Funny thing that is. Slytherin once used the exact same words to describe someone who most certainly is not you."

"Ah, I'm surprised you know about that secret. Another irreplaceable ally, that's without a doubt. You don't want to make either of us angry now, do you? After all, _that _power could even damage someone like you."

Am I an evil bastard? Yes, but that look was worth it!

I didn't know exactly how much the Baron knew about the Chamber of Secrets. Maybe Slytherin had really told him about it, maybe he was just bluffing (like me). But either way he understood my implication at once. At the way he paled I could see that it had been a test. If I really had some kind of unexplainable connection to the founder then I would have to know about the basilisk, right? Right.

The Bloody Baron widened his eyes for a moment before he tilted his head in respect.

"I see. If that is the case then I won't continue to search for your secrets. Please excuse my disrespect. I had simply wondered... Well, if you were who you are and you had apparently problems getting used with the castle as it changed quite a bit over time... then why wouldn't you use your old system to do it."

For a moment I stared at him blankly. Then my gaze fell to the fireplace with its mantelpiece that had dozens and dozens of little wooden snakes carved into it. Could it be...?

"Sweet Merlin, I completely forgot about those!", I called out in an act of surprise. "You're right of course. Sometimes even I can't see the wood for the forest. I must get going." I swiftly grabbed my quills and parchment. "Oh, and do _try _not to blow my cover, alright? The easiest way of lying is by telling the truth. It's important that they'll never realize _which _truth is the real one."

Now having thoroughly confused the ghost I quickly left the common room. A few corridors down I knew of a portrait that pictured a large black mamba. Striding confidently towards it after making sure nobody was around, I whispered:  
"Hey Sweety, what's up?"

The snake raised it's head and blinked at me.

"Listen, I seem to be the the last living heir of Slytherin and I was wondering if there were any portraits of good ol' Salazar still around. Care to help me out?"

The snake blinked again. Then it looked around as if to make sure I was really speaking to it.

"You talking to me?", she asked, just to make sure.

"You see anyone else here?", I replied rhetorically. "So? Any portraits here that speak to you?"

"Sorry", the serpent was quick to apologize. "I'm not used to speak to humans. I don't know of any portraits that do so either."

"Well, there have to be an awful lot of paintings in here that picture snakes", I said. "It is, after all, the heraldic animal of one of Hogwart's founders. Could you make me a favor and ask around if anyone has seen such a portrait?"  
"Uhm, sure."

"That's awesome. Meet me at the Slytherin common room when you're ready, okay?"

"The what?"

I sighed. "The common room. It's right behind that turn over there. There are a lot of snakes in there too so I'm sure if you ask around one will show you the way. Another thing. Please don't come to speak to me directly. There's an empty painting right above my bed in the first years dorm. Only from there you should speak to me, savvy?"

"A-Alright..." It seemed to be quite dumbfounded.

"Great! I owe you, Blacky!"

And gone I was again. I spent the rest of the day tracking down an empty painting.

That night I laid in my bed talking to the little wooden snake carvings around it. I found out that they didn't actually have a lot of character. You wouldn't call them dumb, just... well, they were like puppets or robots. They did whatever you asked from them. They could understand human language and repeat what they heard but only if it was less then three hours ago. They could even come alive and leave the wood they were made of for a short amount of time.

In the dorms and the common room there were lots of these wooden snakes and some metallic too. Outside only a few paintings or a couple of statues were decorated with them. They would be of great use if I wanted to spy on people in the common room or another fixed place. But commands such as 'Find me a ginger and report everything they say in ten minutes after the first mentioning of the name 'Charles Potter'' was already to much for them. They couldn't find a person if it was moving. Therefore, they couldn't find me a way around the castle either. For that one I had to wait for the newly christened Blacky.


	7. The Ouroboros

I didn't see the mamba again until after my first potions class. It was held on Friday in the morning together with the Gryffindors. Whoever had the bright idea to put those two houses together in the most practical subject with the most biased teacher had to have been high on sugar.

Like Flitwick Professor Snape too began his class with the reading of all names and stopping at Harrys and mine. We had chosen our places in the middle of the classroom. I shared a cauldron with Draco, he with Ron but only the way between the tables separated us.

After his little introduction speech he gave us his best glare. I knew what would happen next.

"Potter!", he snapped suddenly.

"Yes?", Harry and I replied synchronous. A few students chuckled.

"What would I get if I added powered root of asphodel to an infusion of wormwood?"

Harry looked at him blankly. As did I.

"Sir", I finally said, "are you asking my brother Harry or me?"

His sharp gaze met mine. "Do you know the answer?"

"Yes", I replied simply.

The faintest trace of a smirk tucked at the corners of his mouth.

"What about you, Potter?", this time looking directly at Harry.

"I don't know, sir", Harry said.

"Tut, tut – fame clearly isn't everything. Potter!"

Silence.

He sighed. "Potter, _Charles"_, he clarified. "Give him the answer."  
"Asphodel and wormwood are ingredients for a powerful sleeping potion known as the Draught of Living Death", I replied. Somehow you never forgot those three question when you read the books.

"Correct. Five points to Slytherin", Snape said. "Let's try again, Potter! Where would you look if I told you to find me a bezoar?"

Draco snickered silently next to me.

"I don't know, sir."

"Though you wouldn't open a book before coming, eh, Potter? Now you answer the question."

Harry looked at him confused. "But if I don't know..."  
"Not you! You, there!"  
I pointed at myself. "Me?"

"Yes, you, Charles!"

"Oh. Well, a bezoar is a good all-around antivenom. So if you told me to find one I would have to think there's an emergency and I would probably break into the upper year's potion supply cupboard to get one as fast as possible. I mean, it's not like we always have a goat around that we can cut open and dissect to get one from its stomach."

Snape blinked at me, probably trying to decide if I was being cheeky or serious. In the end he came to the conclusion that in order for me to earn more points he had to give me the benefit of a doubt.

"Again correct. Another five points. At least one of your bred got the brains to get himself into a proper house", he sneered.

"Last chance for you, Potter. What is the difference between monkshood and wolfsbane?"  
"I don't know", Harry said, now slightly angry. "But I'm sure Charles does so why don't you just ask him?"

Snape was not pleased. "Monskhood and wolfbane are the same plant, which also goes by the name of...?" He looked at me.

"Aconite."

"Correct. That are fifteen points your brother earned for his house today, Potter. I propose you start catching up to him. Although I'm not sure if that will even be possible since that dusty little place between your ears may already be too stuffed with sports and pranks and girls to make room for something intelligent. Five points from Gryffindor." He looked around. "Now? Why aren't you copying that down?"

Harry was fuming for the rest of the class while Draco was laughing his ass of. Inwardly I did the same but had the decency to not to show it to my brother.

Originally I had though that Snape would do everything to make Harrys life miserable but that he would give me bad marks and detentions as well since he never ever took points from his own house. However I seemed to have made enough of an impression on him that he had changed his tactic. Instead now he was using me to humiliate my brother. For everything I did I was praised just as high as Draco (his godson) was while Harry was used as the bad example even if people like Neville were worse at the subject. At the end of the class the Gryffindors practically fled the room but Snape called me back.

"Charles Potter", he said, "I can see that you were trying to be different from your brother. Also you have a certain talent for potions. Was this your first time brewing the boil cure?"  
"Yes it was, sir."  
"Very well. I would like to offer you some private lessons to improve your skills. I think that you could have potential. You mother certainly did."  
That was a flat out lie of course. I was nothing but average in his class. However if he wanted to continue to use me to humiliate Harry then I had to be at least decent. He had to make sure the questions today were not just lucky guessing.

"Why me, though? Draco is just as good."  
"Draco Malfoy is already receiving private lessons and has been for a little over two years now. That's why you would have a lot to catch up on in, let's say, the next three years. During holidays you are free to chose to join Malfoy in his studies. I'm sure his family would have nothing against that."

I held back a snort. Of course the Malfoys would be delighted to have at least a moderate amount of control over one of the boys who lived.

"If that is the case then that would be an opportunity I can't possibly decline", I answered smiling innocently.

* * *

After potions I went to lunch. I had a free period that I had planned spending in the library. On my way out of the Great Hall I met up with Hermione again. We had only seen each other in passing or during a few classes but now I took the time to greet her.

"Hey, Hermin! Herminny-dinni... Oh what the... That it was! Hey Harleyne, over here!"

Hermione turned towards me, clearly annoyed. "How many times do I have to tell you my name?!"  
"Oh come on, it's been a week", I complained. "I still don't know all my dorm mates names either."  
"You should really train your memory."  
"Can _you _tell Crabbe and Goyle apart? I've been working hard but I think that secret will forever stay hidden from me. I swear, not even Draco knows which one is which half of the time."

The girl gave me a small smile.

"There!" I pointed at her, drawing attention from passing students towards me.

"What?", she asked worried. "Do I have something on my face?"  
"Yes you do! That's the first smile I saw on your face since we left the train. It's like watching a flower bloom. I didn't think you could do that."

She blushed a little and the smile returned. "Thank you."

"I was just heading for the library for some research on our astronomy homework. Care to join me?"

"Sure", she said happily.

Hah. It seemed I could get away with ignoring her for a full week. A few nice words and she was at my feet again. Let's see how long that limit could be stretched.

"Hey Charles! Wait a second!", I heard someone call and turned around. Harry came running up the stairs with Ron in his tow.

"This... this note came this morning. I forget to tell you about it. It's from Hagrid!", he said, showing me a letter. It was an invitation for tea as well as an apology for how he treated our relatives. He wanted to make it up to us and told Harry to invite me too.

"Rubeus Hagrid", I read aloud. "You really shouldn't accept this invitation. I most certainly won't. His cookies taste like rocks. And you wanna know something else?

"Uh, what?"  
"He's gonna set a dragon on you. Yeah. That's right. A _dragon."_

Harrys eyes got really big. "Wha – but why would he do that?"

"Well, those with giant blood have a nasty aggression problem. You wanna hear stories, just ask ginger."

"Don't call me that, you... you snake!", Ron replied angrily.

Wow. Was that supposed to be offensive? I ignored him and put forth my hand.

Harry blinked at me. "Huh?"  
"What are you waiting for? Don't I get a something in return for my awesome life-saving info?", I mocked him.

"Err... What do you want?"  
"Oh, I don't know, how about your history homework?"

"Harry", Ron said appalled, "you won't let yourself be blackmailed like that, will you?"

A look of determination crossed Harrys face.

"Well, guess not", I said and lowered my hand. "In Slytherin house you never get something for free. I think I just thought it would be like that with the other houses too. My mistake." I turned towards Hermione, who was scowling. "Let's go, Herman."

"Wait!", Harry called. "That... That about a dragon... What exactly did you see? And when does it happen?"

"Hm... It will try to eat you. I think it will be before Christmas, but I'm not sure. Definitely this school year, though. You should try to lean some spells against dragons. Tell you what, if you promise to make my homework for the next week and deliver them to me three days before they're due, I'll tell you which race the dragon is. That knowledge is essential if you want to have a chance to escape."

Harry looked at Ron searching for advice. Ginger shrugged. "I guess he's right. One of my brothers works with dragons and each race he tends to has unique defenses and weaknesses. But you don't really believe him, do you? There's no way a dragon could find his way on the school grounds."

"Yeah", I said sneering. "Just as it is impossible for a hell hound to enter, right? After all, this is the school the great Albus Dumbledork is headmaster of."

"Yeah, right!"

"Wrong. You should talk to your brothers some day, they will tell you the opposite." I was pretty sure that the Weasley twins had already tried and succeeded getting into the third corridor, even if they fled at the sight of Fluffy.

"Alright, I'll do your stupid homework, just tell me!", Harry said finally.

"Charles, I really do not think this is right", Hermione murmured.

"Too late." I grinned at my brother. "It's a Norwegian Ridgeback. Female."

Ron paled. "Those are nasty!"

"I read about those!" Hermione called. "They're normally less hostile then other species but the female ones are still more ferocious. They can get up to 35 feet of length and their fire is really hot to the point where it can melt stone. Not to mention their bite is-"

"Poisonous", I said with pleasure. "Yes. Really nasty. Well then, have a nice afternoon with the giant. Come on Hadria." With a last smirk I dragged Hermione with me leaving Harry alone to decide whenever or not he wanted to visit the first person to ever write him a letter and put his life on the line for it.

"I still don't believe you're a seer", Hermione said snobbish when we reached the library. "But I'm not sure if you don't believe it yourself. So why didn't you try harder to convince him to stay away from that half giant if you believe he could be in real danger?"

"Because the dragon I was talking about is not being born yet. Hagrid will try to hatch a dragons egg and if they befriend him he will drag them into that mess. That will get them into a lot of trouble but it's not life threatening. He could only learn a lesson out of it."

"Trying to hatch a dragon! That's illegal. We should report it to the headmaster."  
"You can't report something that hasn't happened yet", I answered. "And as I said, I'm not sure exactly when it will happen."

"But then how do you know? You must have heard him talking about it or something."

I sighed. "Can't you just believe that I'm a seer?"  
"No", she huffed. "That's nonsense. I've researched seers, you know. There are two kinds. The first one only have a couple of visions in their life but those are usually about great stuff. But when they tell a so called prophecy they can't remember it later on. The second are seers who make lots of small predictions like when something is going to break or the weather changes. They can't see very far into the future and they only see small things. What you described does fit neither. You claim to see things that are far into the future but you can also guess little things like that boy on the train losing his toad."

I let out another long sigh. "Alright, you got me... I'm not a seer. But I can't tell you the truth. It's a really big secret and if people found out it would be bad for me."

Her gaze softened a bit. "I won't tell anyone", she promised.

"Really? 'Cause I know you have a rather nasty authority complex, Hilary."

"It's Hermione! And I don't have an authority complex."  
"Yes you do. You would want to report me to a teacher."  
Hermione went unusually silent at that. Finally she said.

"You... You know, Charles... Hogwarts isn't what I imagined it to be. I always felt different then other children. When I learned about having magic I though that was because but... But it was really me just being more intelligent then others. At first I though the Ravenclaws would be just like me but they aren't. All they talk about is homework and classes. That was okay at first but all they want is good marks and they're not really interested in researching anything else. There's only so much you can talk about classes. I like studying but I also like seeing my knowledge being of use. You're the only person I've met so far that I could hold a conversation with without feeling like I'm forced into a set way. Does that... Does that make any sense? I mean, students from the other houses usually see me as nothing but a know-it-all. Even if I just want to help them they won't listen. That's why... That's why I'd like to be your friend. I'd like you to trust me so I won't ever tell on you. I promise!"

Whoa. When the hell did she grow up like that?

"Well... if it's that important to you, I guess I can tell you", I said quietly. "But you do realize if we're friends that I will shamelessly take advantage of you and your knowledge to the point where I just lay around being my usual lazy bastard self while you do all the work for me?"

She smiled weakly. "Well, it's better to be used then being useless. I won't ever do your homework, though. I can help you with it but you have to lean by yourself."

"Deal. I want to become skillful out of my own doing, after all."  
"So... So then what's the secret? How do you know about Hagrids dragon if it's not even born yet?"  
"Well", I said, "That's a rather long story. Let's see... What do you know about time travel?"

Her eyes got wide. "Time travel? Are you telling me you're from the future?"

I shook my head. "No, it's not that easy. What do you know about it?"  
"Well", she said, "I'm relived. Because I wouldn't have believed you if you said you were. I don't know much but common sense tells us that it is impossible to use time travel in order to change the past. Because if you traveled to change the past and you succeed then your future self wouldn't have a reason to travel back. That's a paradox."

"Exactly. Of course people have tried it anyway..."  
"Does that mean time travel is really possible?"

"It ministry is strictly controlling them of course. They have a monopole of all the time turners. Anyway, people have tried before to go back further then a couple of hours and change things but they all failed. Do you know what happened to them?"  
"No..."

"They never showed up again. Everything was the way they left it but they just vanished."  
"But you know what happened to them."  
"I know, yes. Whenever someone travels far enough back in time to change something that would result in them not having a reason to go back, an alternate universe is created. In that universe the traveler would basically exist twice. He would change what he came to change and when he's going back into the future he's traveling into the new worlds future while his old one goes on without the change and of course without him. An example. If I were to travel back to the night my parents died and I somehow succeeded in saving them then when I came back to 'my' time there would be another Charles present. One who grew up with his loving parents. I wouldn't just replace him or something, there would be two of us. That way I would still be unable to claim my family. Do you understand?"

"Yeah, I think so", she said. "It makes sense. But how do you know it for sure?"

"Well, I told you that people tried to travel before. Even considering time travel is a relatively new invention, just imagine that in every newly created universe one or two other people travel, creating four more and so on... There are an awful lot of universes out there." Now I was really getting into it. I always had a certain fancifulness but what I now made up could very well be my masterpiece.

"Now the thing is", I continued, "that time is supposed to be linear. Whenever magic has a conscience or not is a question of religion but you can safely assume that magic does it's best to always bring everything back into it's natural order. It would try to stabilize that sudden explosion of universes that came to be with the invention of time turners. Now Helen, tell me what do you know about the Ouroboros?"

"The Ouroboros? Well, it's a symbol I think... The snakes that bites its own tail. It means a lot of things, rebirth, return, eternity and nature itself, the circle of life. What does it have to do with it?"  
"The Ouroboros is more then just a symbol", I told her seriously. "It actually exists. The Ouroboros winds itself through all the existing universes. It's the one might that connects them all and holds them together. Without it the universes would all fall into each other. Best case they would mix together. Then every person who is not _exactly _as in _all _the other universes would come to be a separate person. The world population would skyrocket and we'd all die from lack of resources such as food. Or air. Worst case the universes would explode on each other killing not only the human race but every other as well."

"Alright... But what does the Ouroboros have to do with everything?"

"The Ouroboros is like a giant spirit. I suppose you could even call it a god. However it does have a physical appearance too. Only the greatest magical entities are able to connect with the spirit of the Ouroboros and to host it's energy. The Ouroboros is using those hosts as anchors. You can imagine each of them being one fang that holds onto the world. Of course those hosts are always some kind of magical snake. Now it just so happens that there is a magical snake that's hidden deep under the foundations of Hogwarts. It had build it's nest there because Hogwarts was being build on top of a place where several highly magical ley lines connected." Now that was risky. I didn't even know if ley lines existed in the potteruniverse. But Hermione seemed to buy it.

"The day the Ouroboros had taken possession of that snake it sent it to sleep right here at this magical place because here the anchor can draw the most energy to feed the spirit. It doesn't have to do anything, just exist. It must be a really long living snake too. If the spirit is forced to change hosts because it dies there can sometimes be complications, causing one or two universe to explode..."

"Alright...", she said warily. "I still don't get where you're going."  
"Well you see, just because it hosts the spirit of the Ouroboros doesn't mean the thing itself doesn't have a conscience. You have to realize that the host gets all kind of pictures from the other universes it is connected to. That way it slowly develops an intellect that is similar to a humans. The host forms a character, even a personality of it's own. Being imprisoned down there, unable to move, hunting only rats and stuff occasionally, well that can get boring. However the host has one very special means of communicating."  
"Which one?", Hermione wanted to know, now totally drawn into the story.

"Since it is a being strongly influenced by time itself... it can connect to the Prophesied Ones. Prophecies are very important, you know. Imagine the universe as a long rope as time goes by. Then they are like little strings of energy that connect the point of time when they were made with the one they're about. That way the rope is being pulled together making it more condensed and easier for the Ouroboros to grab." Even I didn't know what kind of shit I was talking about anymore... It sounded like the molecular structure of DNA... Hermione too began to look doubtful. Time to get to an end. "Prophesied Ones are people prophecies are made about. Eleven years ago there was a prophecy made about my brother, me and You-know-who Moldyshorts. I won't tell you what it said since I don't know the exact wording myself. Moldyshorts heard part of it and decided to hunt down my family. You know the rest."  
"So that is the reason he was after you!", Hermione exclaimed. "That must be a great burden. You're a very brave person that you can cope so well with it."  
"Thank you, Hemilia. That means a lot."

"It's Hermione", she said unconcerned. "But that's alright. Now I understand why you always act so careless. If You-know-who really targeted you specifically then..."

"Then one day when he comes back I'm as good as dead. That's right. That's why I want to live my life as happy as possible as long as it lasts."  
"Oh Charles!", she exclaimed and threw herself into my arms. I caught her on reflex, making a show out of patting her back and acting all depressed.

"There, there. It's alright." I got her totally in the bag.

At first I was surprised that she actually believed that crap. But come to think of it, out of all my cover stories so far it might be the one most far fetched. However it was also the one that held the most truth in regards of secrets. Learning about the basilisk in second year and even the prophecy in fifth would ease any doubts she would inevitable come up with when getting older. Geez, I was such a genius.

"So this... This Ouroboros thing has been in contact with you?"  
"That's right. You'd think it to be a huge coincidence but the three of us are really the only persons currently anywhere near Hogwarts that a prophecy was made about. Moldyshorts isn't exactly great company as you can imagine. The Ouroboros, or better its host contacted me first when I was six years old through some kind of telepathy link. It tried to contact Harry too, but you see, we were raised by magic hated muggles. Harry always wanted to gain their love but they hated us for being 'freaks'. That's why he did everything to please them and deny everything obviously magical around him. Especially the voice talking to him. Eventually the Ouroboros stopped trying but it kept talking to me. I didn't know what it was talking about most of the time but it was content watching through my eyes or listen to my thoughts anyway. It has been showing me pictures and visions too. Since the Ouroboros itself is timeless it could tell me things that had happened in my world. They were like bedtime stories for me. It also showed me things of the future. That's how I know so much. It's not actually this worlds future but what already happened in another universe."  
"I see", Hermoine said. "For example when there's a wizard in, lets say China who travels back in time in order to prevent a death in his country then things would still go exactly the way they would normally here in England. So that's a future the Ouroboros could show you, one that is sure to happen."

"Exactly. It can't predict what will happen once I change something to prevent that future because strictly speaking I haven't been time traveling so I don't create another universe. It has no idea how my future will go in that case since this is the only universe in which it told me about it."

"So basically you just have a huge head start of knowledge on what could happen."

"Yes but that's not always a good thing. For example if I knew there lived a great beast in the Forbidden Forest that would eat a student in two years. I could alert the teachers who would call the ministry who would sent some officials to hunt it down. The beast would then maybe kill four or five of them. The student I originally wanted to safe would be alive but at what cost? Furthermore that students could again change things in a way that would make me unable to predict other dangers. It would be far better to keep silent and only prevent that students from entering the forest shortly before he's about to do so."

"So today what you told your brother..."  
"I really got informed about Hagrid having a dragon. However I still scared Harry and made him learn how to defend himself against dragons because odds are he will have to fight the real thing in a few years. I couldn't tell him that because if he trains really hard and he's known as some kind of dragon professional that could change things so he never has to fight a dragon but another dangerous beast. But if in a few years he get's to know what he will be up against he will thank me for getting a head start, even if it was only a small one because of some stupid prank his brother pulled on him in his first year."

She smiled at me softly. "You really do care about your brother, don't you?"  
I shrugged. "In my own way, yeah." Not at all. But I'd like to see his face when he found out Norbert was a two inches long baby dragon.

"You know, I don't care what people say about your house. You're a really nice person and I'm glad I met you on the train to get to know you."

"I'm glad I got to know you too, Helena."  
"It's Hermione..."


	8. Wizards Duel

I managed to convince Hermione that she had to keep my connection to the Ouroboros a secret. People would not only try to learn the secrets of the future and time traveling from me, they would also pose a threat to the host. After all it was a huge ass snake right under a school full of little children. That's why she agreed, although reluctantly, to play along and pretend me to be some kind of rare seer.

Over the next couple of weeks Hermione tagged along with me more often. That was because soon the first years would have their first flying lessons and she was sick of everyone talking about Quidditch. I wasn't interested in such a dangerous and silly sport either. In seven books the only time flying had been of any use for Harry had been in the Tournament. However the times he almost died falling from his broom were far more often.

"I don't understand why you even bother with that mudblood", Draco stated one day in the common room. "All the Slytherins are talking about it. You're making a fool out of yourself."

"A fool I am?", I asked sharply. "If that's what you think, just look at this", I said and waived a piece of parchment in front of him. It was my latest transfiguration test and I had scored second best in a class that was made out of Slytherins and Ravenclaws.

"How – How did you do that?!"  
"By bothering with the mudblood, stupid. Think about it. She might be from a family that can provide her with zero leverage. But that's exactly the reason why she's so insistent on proving herself. The majority of muggleborns are useless but the few exceptions are very well worth the effort. After all, Rowena Ravenclaw herself was a muggleborn."

"No way!"

"Yes, indeed." I had no idea if that was right or not but the only one who would know was the Gray Lady and she never talked to anyone.

Draco looked thoughtful for a moment. "You know", he said slowly, "I'm really behind with that herbology project. If you're so good at school, maybe you could lend me a hand."

"Now, Draco, what would I get in return?", I asked smirking.

The blonde huffed annoyed. "What do you want?"

Now I grinned. "I want you to be nice to my brother. For a whole week. No provocation. You'll do what he requests. No insulting him or his friends. You are allowed to ignore him, though. I'm not that cruel."

Draco scowled at me angrily. "What the hell?! I though you didn't care about your brother now that he's a Gryffindor!"

"I don't. I always have an ulterior motive. If you do as I said I might even tell you."

"Fine! But then it's not just herbology, you have to give me your charms homework too."

"Deal."

Now the funny thing was that seven days later we had our first flying lessons. Neville still took off too soon and still broke his wrist. When Draco picked up his Remembrall Harry strolled over to him boldly, demanding:  
"Give it back, Malfoy!"

Draco was about to retort and already grabbed his broom, but I shoot him a warning look. He met it angrily, but in the end, threw the Remembrall at Harry.

"Here, get it back to the cry baby", he sneered. "Maybe he'll remember that he needs a diet!"

Harry seemed to be just as surprised that Draco had actually returned the item as anyone else. Maybe he was even a little disappointed, having been looking for a fight ever since Draco had stared mocking him about never getting post and sharing his own packages of sweets with me.

"Good boy", I whispered when Draco passed. He just glared at me.

When Madam Hooch returned we all got the chance to hover a little bit above the grass but she scolded everyone who tried to get farther away. That's why neither Draco nor Harry got to show off their skills. When we made our way back to the castle Draco angrily caught up with me.

"This is a stupid deal!", he complained. "You made me look like a fool over there."  
"Dear Draco", I told him in a lecturing voice, "Harry is a natural at flying. I saw him when he and Ron Weasley borrowed their brothers brooms to practice for the lesson today. As you may know since you want to get into the Slytherin Quidditch team, the enemy, Gryffindor house, currently doesn't have a seeker. They'll have to recruit a new one soon and the younger years are usually build better for the position. If you had taken off with the Remembrall like you planned to and, let's say, throw it away Harry would've caught it. Now as you may have noticed that tower over there, across from the pitch, has McGonogalls office in it. Imagine her seeing such a stunt. She would've recruited Potter into the Quidditch team besides the fact that he's a first year. He's a boy who lived after all and a Gryffindor, Dumbledore himself would jump at the opportunity to give him even more fame. With Harry as their seeker the Gryffindor team would have a serious advantage playing for the Quidditch Cup and thus for the House Cup too."

"Wha – that's ridiculous! How do you even know I would have taken off? And even if he had followed me that doesn't mean McGonogall would have to see it."

"I know it because I know _you _, Draco, and your tactics in order to humiliate my brother. Which are, by the way, rather crude and not very creative. I know that he would have followed you because Harry has a nasty hero complex and he already sees you for his personal rival. And why would McGonogall watch the lessons from her tower? Because firstly she desperately wishes to discover a new talent for her team to finally be able to beat Slytherin and secondly because she is one of the very few teachers who has enough common sense to know a mixture of our two houses is a _very _bad idea. Especially if you leave them on their own like Hooch did. That means all in all if I hadn't hold you back you would've probably cost Slytherin this year's House Cup."

Draco was sulking for the rest of the day. However I had completely forgotten that Harry becoming a seeker had triggered another chain of events Since the Malfoy heir was still angry and wanted his revenge he strolled over to the Gryffindor table during dinner. Feeling danger approaching I followed him silently. On my way I passed Hermione at the Ravenclaw table.

"What's going on?", she asked.  
"I'm not sure", I said, "but it would be helpful if you could answer me a question."  
"What is it?"  
"You read so much about school rules. Say, are we allowed wizard duels in first year?"  
She stared at me open mouthed. "Well... Well that is an incredibly stupid idea of course... And we don't know enough magic for dueling anyway. But I think a law from 1734 stated that duels between students are allowed as long as there's a teacher present and no spells that are purposely meant or aimed to kill are used. It's an outdated law but I don't think they changed it since then."

"Very well", I said and strode forward.

"Now Draco, what exactly are you doing here?", I asked the Malfoy in a dangerously low tone.

This time he was the one smirking. "Time's up and a deal's a deal. I just challenged Potter to a wizards duel at twelve." He winked at me mischievously.

"Really?", I asked, acting surprised and exited. "Who's your second?"

"You could do the honor if you'd like", he offered generously.

"Could be interesting, eh, dear brother of mine?", I said to Harry.

"What's with your look? Never heard of a wizards duel before?", Draco mocked him.

"Of course he has! I'll be his second. Right, Harry?"

Harry nodded dully.  
"Wonderful", I said happily. When I turned around, just as I though Hermione had already called a teacher. Professor McGonogall came towards us with a fierce scowl on her face. "What is going on?"

"I'm glad that you're here", I said smiling. "Draco just challenged my brother to a wizards duel and he accepted. It is to take place tomorrow at 12 am with Weasley and myself as seconds. Do you think we could rent the Great Hall for that purpose? After all three prominent pureblood lines will participate, there are bound to be a couple of visitors."

Draco paled visibly at my words and desperately tugged at my sleeve to make me understand he had other plans. Harry just looked confused.

"Now I think that is a very bad idea", McGonogall said strictly. "I demand that you-"  
"It's too late, Professor. Both have already accepted. It would be incredibly humiliating for either to redraw now. You can not expect to act cowardly from a Gryffindor and neither do you have the right to force a Slytherin pureblood to lose his face in front of his house mates. Neither pride will allow it. Besides, this is going to be fun! We'll promise we won't aim to kill each other. If it reassures you we can just set the goal for disarming, since we're only first years. In a controlled environment such as Hogwarts with a medic witch at hand nothing too bad should happen. We already have very little if any practical experience in defense during to Professors Quirells curriculum. Students should be allowed and even advised to broaden their knowledge by independent studies. A wizards duel is a perfect way of testing these skills."

McGonogall still looked unconvinced. Having a spontaneous idea I wrapped my arm around Hermiones shoulders and said: "Besides, Herminny here and me wanted to start a study group for muggleborns anyway. This could be the perfect opportunity for some advertisement."

Now I don't know if it was the sight of a Slytherin being friendly with a muggleborn, my logical reasoning or the fact that the rules deemed me to be right. Either way in the end she had to give us permission.

Later in the common room Draco was seriously pissed.

"What the hell is wrong with you?!", he screamed just as the door closed behind us. "I already had him exactly where I wanted him! Wandering around the school at night all it would have needed was to give a tip to Flich and he would lose lots of house points or even get expelled!"

"Shut it, Malfoy", I replied angrily. "I don't care about your petty rivalry with my brother. You are disrupting the plans I have with him and I will not allow that. They wouldn't have expelled him, he'd only get detention and hate you all the more for it. That is, if he was even caught. Leave your childish desires and look at the grand picture!"

"You're always acting so clever but really you're _nothing! _You're a blood traitor, mingling with Gryffindors and _mudbloods _and-"  
Within a blink of an eye I had drawn my wand pointing it directly at his heart. By now we had the attention of the whole common room. Crabbe and Goyle came closer, unsure what do to.

Too quietly for anyone do hear I whispered a couple of words and enjoyed Malfoy taking a cautious step back.

"Yes, Draco? What did you want to say?"

Malfoy was no fool. He knew of my reputation that I had been slowly building. Charles Potter, the genius that always got the best marks out of the Slytherin first years. Charles Potter, the potions masters apprentice who was on a first name basis with the most fearsome professor at Hogwarts. Charles Potter who could scare away the Bloody Baron. Charles Potter, who claims to be Salazar Slytherin reborn. Charles Potter, the vanquisher of the Dark Lord. Now was the moment of truth, the moment where I had to show if there was anything but hot air behind those claims. If I succeeded here the leadership position of my year would almost certainly go to me.

"I'm saying", Draco finally stated bravely, "that you have to know your place!"

At this point silent gasps were heard from the crowd among us and whispers started to rise.

"Or what?", I asked coldly.

"Or I'll show you what you're really up against!"  
I laughed at him. It was a cruel sound no child should be able to emit.

"Really, Draco? You and which army?"

Malfoy had been busy earning the favor of most of his year mates. He used bribing, threats and pure willpower to get his way. Confronted with me he was confident that he could rely on his two bodyguards and with them forming a front of three the other boys would surely come along.

However when Malfoy turned around to call Crabbe and Goyle forth he was met with a fearsome sight. Dozens and dozens of little wooden snakes that normally rested on the furniture had come to life and wrapped themselves tightly around their bodies. Crabbe stumbled in an attempt to get them off and fell to his knees. Goyle didn't fare much better and with a look of absolute horror Draco jumped back when three little snakes snapped at his ankles. Malfoy fell over Crabbe and landed on his butt. Just a second later I was there, cruelly stepping onto him and holding him to the ground with my right boot while my wand now rested under his chin. The Malfoy heir looked about to piss himself.

"Now you listen you little _ant. _I've put on with you sucking up to me, trying to convert me to that little junior Corpse Cruncher circle your father has undoubtedly told you to form. I've tried to be nice, I really did, but you're just so _pathetic, _I can't stand it anymore. Don't you dare forgetting exactly _who _I am. You have no right to criticize me when everything I've done so far greatly exceeds anything you were able to. I'm not someone who follows. I'm someone who generously allows others to go their way alongside of me. If you can't keep up, I'll let you rot in the deepest pits of insignificance. But if you try to hinder my progress, I will _crush_ you and anyone who's with you. Does that go into that little ferret brain of yours?"

Draco bit his lip, but finally, he nodded.

I gave him another good kick and turned around. Ever so silently I ordered the serpents to release the boys but made sure nobody else could hear me.

From that day onwards I was the official leader of the Slytherin first years. Draco didn't dare to stand up to me again. I didn't care whenever it was out of natural fear or because his father had told him to. Using the wooden snakes to threaten the other students... It was that sort of thing that Tom Riddle might have done during his own time at Hogwarts. Odds were that a Malfoy had been around to witness it. However it was not only my little show in the common room that lead to them actually believing there had to be some truth in the crap I stated about being Slytherin reborn. It was also the events of the following day.

As I had predicted the Great Hall was full when at 12 am Malfoy and my brother faced each other in their duel.

Two of the long tables were put together to form a long dueling platform and when Professor McGonogall, who would watch over the duel, cleared her throat there went still some time by until everything was quiet.

"Today we have two young wizards facing each other in a formal wizards duel", she began. "Such means are entirely inappropriate to settle disputes and todays event should not encourage you to do so. However the school rules state that a question of honor can be answered that way. Of course this won't be a duel to the death. One party loses if they both are either unable to fight, give up willingly or lose their wands for more then five seconds. The seconds won't fight each other as this is not their duel, but a second might continue the fight of his predecessor. They are also prohibited from using dark magic. May the dueler now step forward."

Harry entered the stage looking very nervous. Draco followed shortly a little bit more confident but still pale.

I yawned. "Hey Nott, wanna play a game of wizard chess?"

Theodore Nott looked at me incredulously as I pulled out a mini chess board and sat down on the ground.

"Now?"

"Of course now. All these amateurs can do is sending tickling charms on each other. We could be here for some hours."

Just then Draco started of the Duel with a tickling charm, one that we had learned how to do just last week. The 'no contact' rule made it really difficult for both to disarm the other.

After watching the duel some more, Nott shrugged and came to join me in my game.

"You're his second, aren't you?", the boy asked after some time.

"Yup."  
"Why did you agree to that? You... Well, you didn't seem to like him much", he said carefully.

"Oh I like him fair enough. He's a pain in the ass of course but as long as it's not my ass he's pretty amusing. No I just figured it would be fun dueling my brother."

"So you're sure Malfoy's gonna lose?"

I nodded confidently.

"Why?"

"Well", I said, watching my knight crushing Notts castle, "first, he's main character. Those always win. And second, Malfoy may know more spells but Harry's got really good reflexes. All he has to do is stay out of the way of his spells and then copy them."

"I see", Nott said scowling. "You win."  
"Of course I will. - Oh, you mean that. I hadn't noticed." I moved my queen ahead. "Check mate."

As if on cue up at the stage Harry had succeeded in hitting Malfoy with a stumbling hex. The boy fell down and his wand rolled out of his reach. Harry immediately leaped towards it and grabbed the wand before his rival could get a hold of it. Five seconds later the duel was over.

"The winner is-", McGonogall began, but I quickly stepped forward.

"Undecided yet", I continued for her. "'Cause we have seconds. I'll continue the duel for Malfoy."

McGonogall scowled hard but according to the rules naming seconds was allowed. Basically a wizard always had to defeat two opponents in a duel, the actual enemy and his second.

"Very well. May the dueler step forward."

I faced Harry on the platform who already looked slightly exhausted.

"If you're not feeling up to it, you can still quit", I said with fake worry. "You already defeated Malfoy. There's nothing more to prove."  
"Yes there is", he said fiercely.

"I really don't want to hurt you, brother."  
Harry relaxed slightly. "It's alright. I want to know what I can do against you."

I bowed to him politely. "If that's the case... I'll give you three tries. Do your best."

Harry bowed too and McGonogall gave the signal to begin.

Harry started with another stumbling hex. It was a slow one, easily dodged by me.

"Wingardium Leviosa!", I called and lifted Harry up into the air. He flailed his arms helplessly as I led him float higher and higher.

"Give up yet?"

"No!", he refused.

I let him fly higher and over to the wall. There stood the statue of a gargoyle in five meters height that had enough of an pedestal so that I could repeatedly let Harry bang his head against it.

"Give up yet? Just let go of your wand."  
"No, I will never."

I sighed and let him drop. We had now left the platform. I was standing right in front of a door next to the spot where Harry was falling to the ground. He moaned in pain but got back to his feet nonetheless.

"I'll... I'll get you... Someday I'll surpass you!"  
"Well you better do if you want to stand a chance against guys who really want to hurt you."

"Shut it! Tarantallegra!"

I jumped out of the way in the last moment. Harry followed me behind but now he was exactly where I wanted to have him.

"Alohomora!", I cried out. For a moment confusion could be seen on his face. That was until the door behind him swung open forcefully and knocked him over. He even lost his wand for a moment but I let him pick it up again.

"Give up yet?"

"Well you see, you-" in the middle of the sentence he suddenly launched a tickling charm at me. It caught me off guard and suddenly a weird feeling grew in my stomach. Moments later I was clutching it in laughter.

"Not... not bad", I managed to get out. "But you... hehehe... you will pay for that! Muhahaha!" I let out an evil laugh that was not entirely influenced by the charm and raised my wand high into the air.

"_Accio candles!"_

The Great hall was filled with hundreds, probably thousands of candles. They were all hovering above the students during meals, providing light. I had not mastered the summoning charm completely that was, after all, fourth year material. But I had learned wandless hovering charms and as long as the object was near there wasn't much of a difference. So there were around thirty candles drawn from my charm, first towards me and then as I pointed my wand at Harry, at my poor brother. His eyes widened in actual fear and I could see several students gasp in shock. At that speed the candles would surely set his cloak on fire, causing serious damage. However a few feed before they reached Harry I let the candles lose speed. He came out of his stupor fast enough to make a run for it but the candles followed him like an angry dog.

"You know that I could end it any time", I said. Everyone was so enraptured with the duel that I didn't even have to raise my voice. "Give up or I will have to hurt you."

Harry bit his lip hard but the candles were already catching up to him. They were forming a circle leaving him with no escape.

"Fine... I give up", he grumbled and dropped his wand.

A second or two passed. Then the Slytherins burst out into cheers. Even Hufflepuff and Ravenclaw applauded, if not for the winner then for the show they were allowed to enjoy.

I let the candles float back to their places and held my hand out for Harry, smiling. He returned the gesture grateful and we shook hands.

Before the crowd could dissipate again I faced it and clapped my hands once.

"Attention please! Since you're all already here I'd like to make an announcement. I have recently founded a new club, or let's say a group. It's open to everyone who can convince me, the founder and leader of the club, of their determination to join. However it concentrates mainly on muggleborns and traditional purebloods. We don't only want to help each other with homework but also the muggleborns shall learn about wizarding customs from purebloods. You know, that kind of things you wish someone would have told you ages ago when you leave Hogwarts and still don't know how to use the floo. To make it where it is interesting for purebloods too we will also have dueling sessions the way we had today. Primarily it's a group for first years, but upper years are welcomed too. The first meeting is on Saturday November 7th after lunch, we meet up in the trophy room."

Again whispers broke out when I was done but I ignored the looks and strode confidently across the hall.

"You've founded the study group?", Hermione asked exited as she fell into step with me. "Why haven't you told me? And where are you heading?"

"I didn't tell you because I founded it like, half a minute ago. And I'm heading to my head of houses's office to fill in the paperwork for the new club."

"Oh", she said, "well, what kind of plans do you have?"  
"Lot's of. First I'll have to find a couple of teachers... Would you do the honors, Helen?"  
"Wha – but I though it was about purebloods teaching muggleborns?"  
"It is. However these children may know about their customs but they're so natural for them. It will be hard to explain to others. We need some kind of animator. I'll be the leader and set the course but I need a right and a left hand if you know what I mean."  
"Well, I would be honored", she said, puffing up her chest.

"Very well. Then with you, my group has already two members."  
Her face fell a bit at that but she quickly recovered. "Alright. So what is your group called then?"

I smirked. "The group will be called... 'Outtakes'!"


	9. Halloween

Now that my respect among the Slytherins was growing so did the danger of them digging deeper into my story. That's why it was lucky that two days later I finally received message from the Black Mamba.

I had been laying in my bed telling Notch the story of my duel for at least the fifth time when there was a hissing from the empty painting over my head. I had brought it from the Room of Hidden Things. That room needed a more thorough exploration sometimes. But that had time until I had fully mastered the summoning charm.

"Hello Blacky", I greeted the large snake with a lopsided smile. "Do you have news for me?"  
"I talked to the local paintings a lot", the Mamba said. "A lot of them were confused but some got really exited. They told me to go to a small chamber next to the Great Hall. There was a portrait of another speaker. He told me to continue to watch you and report to him. I did that and told him about your fight and your commanding of the wooden ones. He then said to tell you that he would agree to speak to you if you could manage to present him the Oval of poisonous Brilliance."

"The... Oval of poisonous Brilliance?", I repeated incredulously. "What the heck does that mean?"

"Well I asked that too but he only said he didn't care about an heir that could not find it out for himself."

Could not find that... I took a moment to think that over.

I figured that most students, even those from Slytherins blood would approach the founder only for one reason: to gain more power. A portrait however could never really be a teacher, especially not when it was in a place everyone could see it. So what most of them probably wanted from him was information... Information about the Chamber of Secrets. The Oval of poisonous Brilliance seemed to describe an object with an oval shape. It was probably poisonous green and shiny.

"He want's to have a scale...", I realized. It made sense. If one could find the Chamber of Secrets on his own and bring forth a scale of the basilisk with him it would show without a doubt that they weren't just after Slytherins knowledge or power. It would show that they were clever, having found out about the chambers location and thus being true Slytherins by heart. It really was a magnificent quest.

"Hey Blacky! You can tell the old man that I'll bring him the oval. I'll present it to him on the day after Samhain, the evening of Halloween."

"Alright boss, I'll do that."

"Make sure you're free at that time too. I need someone to watch my back."

* * *

Later the day I was busy helping Draco with his homework, or rather, bashing him for his stupidity. He had grudgingly accepted my new status. As the leader of Slytherin house it was now my obligation to care about my new subordinates. In order to gain my favor most of them and even two upper years asked to be part of my newly founded group. I immediately declined airheads like Crabbe, Goyle or Bulstrode. However I allowed Nott, Zabini and Greengrass to come along with Draco. The latter one however only after he said 'please'. Of course he had to do it loud enough for the rest of the common room to hear.

Hermione had managed to get a couple of muggleborns together and from all houses too. Harry was also invited but he seriously though about declining after I told him that I wouldn't ever allow his ginger into my group. Ron may be a pureblood but he wasn't a 'traditional' one. Which was really just another phrase for being a blood traitor. However he still decided to at least try it out once together with Dean Thomas, another Muggleborn from Gryffindor.

In the afternoon I had a private lesson with Snape who was just as spiteful as I knew him now that we were alone. However I could see that he was simply overly protective of his potions ingredients. He snapped at me whenever he though I did something wrong. But that was exactly what made every single one of my potions perfect.

I knew today were the Quidditch tryouts for Gryffindor and Harry would surely be there. Therefore in the evening I made my way to the pitch and as expected Harry and Ron were there with a couple of old school brooms in their hands. First years were not allowed to have their own brooms and if you came to a Quidditch game with a slow school broom you really did more harm then good. However that didn't stop the boys from taking part in the warming up. They tried their best to show off and sure enough, besides being a first year Oliver Wood allowed Harry to try out as a seeker. As soon as I heard that I turned around and walked away. It seemed my plan to keep Harry out of the team had failed. Oh well, it wasn't a big loss. Indeed this could provide me with a new opportunity. I didn't really care about the House Cup. Harry getting into the team and winning for Gryffindor would give me more credibility in front of Malfoy who was still angry at me for the matter with the Remembrall. Also I could use it as a little test for Hermione. Yes, I had just the thing in mind...

* * *

And then there was Halloween. I had borrowed Hermiones time table so that we could schedule the Outtakes. It was really just an excuse. Knowing exactly when she had charms (which luckily she had with the Gryffindors) I was able to 'accidentally' run into her when she came storming out of the classroom with tears in her eyes.

"Woho, Hermeline, what's up?", I asked when I helped her to her feet.

"N-Nothing", she sobbed and tried to free herself from me.

"Well, you're pretty pathetic if you're crying over nothing. Come on, I'm your friend, just tell me."  
Those simple words calmed her down considerably. It was the first time I ever called her a friend.

"Oh, it's just that stupid Weasley and your brother. I just wanted to help them with the hovering charm but they snapped at me and were mean and – and they said no one liked me anyway and, and I just-"  
"Shh, it's okay", I said and let her drain my shirt with her tears as I hold her and patted her back comfortably.

"They're stupid and, more important, they're wrong. You have lot's of friends."

"That's not true", she sniffed. "You're my only one." More quietly she added: "And you don't even know my name."  
"Hey, but I'm worth a dozen friends. Besides, when we start the Outtakes and everyone sees how great a teacher you can be they'll all want to be your friends." I tipped her nose and smiled. "Can't you see I'm just teasing you? I know your name is Helena!"

"No it's not! It's Hermione."  
"Well, for me you're Helena. As in Helena Ravenclaw, Rowenas daughter who was rumored to be just as intelligent as her mother. And of course as in Helena from Troy, a woman so beautiful one of the greatest wars of the ancient world were fought over her."

Hermione blushed bright red at my words, but murmured a 'thank you' nonetheless.

I clapped my hands, drawing her out of her musings suddenly.

"Now that this matter is settled I have something for you."  
"Oh? What is it?"  
"It is... Well, I suppose you could call it a quest. Difficulty level C. As a reward I would tell you about a place in Hogwarts that holds roughly ten times as many books as the library. Will you take it?"

Hermione looked at me with big eyes. "What kind of quest?"  
"Well, I can't tell you that until you've accepted the quest. It's kind of secret."

"I'm not sure I understand..."

I sighed. "Look..." I pulled her into an empty classroom so as to make sure to not to be overheard.

"You do realize what I am doing here, don't you? This isn't some kind of game. The Outtakes are not a study group, they are a means for me to get allies. You're smart, Helena, you know what I'm up against. You are one of very, _very _few people who I can trust to do certain tasks for me. In fact, you might very well be the only one as of now. To archive my aims I will sometimes give out certain missions – where failure will be punished – or quests, where success will be rewarded. Simple challenges like doing homework or research that hold no risk are ranked E. Challenges where more then one person is required or there's a time limit close are ranked D. C rank challenges do hold a certain risk. You're usually breaking some kind of rule or will encounter resistance from other students. B rank challenges would hold the risk of bodily harm and/or expulsion. A ranks require for you to put your life in danger and well, S ranks are the suicide missions. I have not called them like that but you have been doing missions and quests at rank E and D for me by helping me with my school work. That's why I think it is time I can give you a greater challenge. However ranks C and upwards are challenges that could bring you and me in trouble so the rules are strict: Ask no questions. Do not doubt. Tell no one. Since it is just a quest you are free to decline. What do you want to do?"

Yes I had copied that system from various ninja movies... but I wanted to make it clear that even if I told her I was her friend she was still to follow my commands as her leader. In this state she would still be able to just brush away my curious choice of words as childish but soon she would get used to it and unconsciously accept me as her superior.

Hermione bit her lip in though for a moment. Finally she looked up at me determined. "I will take the quest. I will help you to the best of my ability."  
"Wonderful. I had expected nothing less from you", I said smiling. "You quest goes as follows:

You will go to the next girls bathroom and stay there for the next couple of classes. Pretend to be still upset about what ginger said. Once somebody comes to check on you, like a few girls from Gryffindor maybe, say that you want to be left alone. When you're sure they're gone, leave the bathroom and go outside. You remember the little underground harbor we entered when first coming to Hogwarts? Stay there and wait for me. If I do not fetch you until 21:30, go back into your common room and avoid everybody who want's to speak to you.

I need you to do this because I need an alibi for the night but I don't know exactly how long I'll need. When I am able to fetch you before nine, we'll simply tell people that I had gone to comfort you. If I still fail to show up to the next day's classes, you will tell people that I saved you from the disturbance that night and lured it away from you into the direction of the forbidden third corridor. You have to act really worried, as if you think I would lay somewhere in desperate need for medical help."  
"But then they'll want to know why I hadn't told them the same day!"  
"Yes", I admitted, "That's what makes it a C rank. You have to think about a solution for yourself. Now, in the unlikely case that after, let's say, ten days, I'm still gone then my mission failed and I'm probably dead. In that case, I would like you to give this to my brother." I pulled out a sealed letter and gave it to her.

She made no move to grab it, instead staring at me with fright in her eyes. "Wha-What do you mean dead? Where are you going? You can't do something dangerous!"

"Helen, I have to. It's really important. I have seen little to no versions of this mess in which I come out alive. What I'm doing tonight might be my only chance to survive. I can't tell you where I'm going or what I'm doing, I've promised I wouldn't. I swear I'll be careful and I don't think this will be my end but just in case I'm wrong I want to be prepared. I have to be able to trust that you won't tell anyone anything of what I've told you just now. If I don't return they'll think I died in that corridor and that's it. You don't have to give the letter to Harry immediately either, you can wait a couple of month or even years, I don't care, but he should get it at the very latest at the beginning of his sixth year. Do you understand?"

My speech had moved her visibly and she had tears in her eyes.

"I'll – I'll do it", she sobbed quietly.

"You're the greatest. I'm counting on you." I gave her the letter, confident that she would make sure no one but Harry ever read it.

After she left in the direction of the bathrooms I made my way to my next class. I still had some time to kill until the show would begin.

* * *

Roughly three hours later I was sitting at the feast together with the other students. Lots of living bats and grinning pumpkins were flying around. Normally I wouldn't have bothered to even come here. The business I had tonight was far more important and with Hermione giving me an alibi I could stay away for the whole evening. However there were two reasons why I still came here. One were the sweets. The second was that I really, _really _wanted to say that one sentence. I just had to wait a few minutes more.

Quirrells entrance in three, two, one...

"Troll – in the dungeons – thought you ought to know."

Over the chaos of panicking students Dumbledore rose.

"Prefects", he rumbled, "lead your houses back into the dormitories immediately!"

That was my cue.

I leapt to my feat, jumped onto the Slytherin table, held both my hands like a cone in front of my mouth and shouted as loud as I could:  
"OUR DORMITORIES ARE IN THE DUNGEONS!"

For a second or two I had the attention of the entire Great Hall. People froze, scowling and looking at Dumbledore for advise. I made a circling movement with my finger at my head, indicating Dumbldedores obvious madness. It seemed like I found the person high on sugar in this castle.

"You wanna get us all killed?", I shouted over to the head table.

Without waiting for an answer I turned around to my house mates.

"Slytherins, let's head for the library."

And just like that the entire Slytherin house followed my command.

Just outside the Great Hall I pulled Theodore Nott aside, one of the more reliable Slytherins.

"Make sure everyone gets to the library safely, will you?"  
"What about you?"

"One of my allies wasn't at the feast. I have to make sure no one under my command gets hurt tonight." That sounded a lot better then 'I'm going to safe the mudblood'.

Nott nodded and took lead of the first years while I used the general chaos to slip away.

Before long I found myself in the girls bathroom at the second floor. I was lucky, Myrtle was nowhere to be seen. Hurriedly I kneeled at the broken sink searching for the serpent engraving. Sure enough there it was and during to my experience with the wooden serpents opening it was childs play. The pipe was dirty and slimy but in preparation of this evening I had 'borrowed' one of the old school brooms. I was far from a natural talent at flying like my brother but I managed to make my way down the slimy tube safely.

"Lumos Maxima", I whispered, sending a blinding white light up to the ceiling. I didn't bother descending my broom. No need to step into those piles of bones and rotten flesh.

Ever the careful one I slipped on a pair of sunglasses. I spite of the light my sight diminished greatly but that was a cost I was willing to pay.

Carefully I maneuvered the broom over to the large snake skin. Pulling out a knife I worked a couple of minutes to loosen a few scales.

Originally I had planned to get Slytherins support first before I approached the basilisk. But now that I was already here I couldn't waste the chance. There would be a long time until I had such a great distraction again.

That's why I made my way further ahead. Iron hard doors opened at a hissed command until finally I reached the chamber itself.

It looked slightly different then in the movies, I noted. For example Slytherins statue was one of his entire body, not just the head. I wondered exactly why it stood here. It was not as if Slytherin was really a sight to enjoy. With his monkey-like face he was actually rather unattractive.

Well, but that didn't have to bother me right now.

"Speak to me, Slytherin, greatest of the Hogwarts Four!"

What a self-centered password. Everyone could find that out with a little bit of guessing. It was just like with the common room passwords. I mean, _pure-blood_, come on! Even the password to my trunk was safer. It was 'sarcoplasmic reticulum'.

Again, nothing I had to bother myself with right now. I had finally descended onto the ground and stood with my back to the statue. A crunching noise came from it as Slytherins mouth opened to reveal the King of Serpents.

Alright. Showtime.

"Who dares to invade my kingdom?!", a dark, raw voice could be heard. A male voice.

I took a deep breath. I had though a lot about what I would tell the basilisk. If I just pretended to be another heir of Slytherin he wouldn't believe me. Not when I went so strongly against everything the last heir had commanded. Of course I couldn't pretend to be Slytherin reborn either because this creature had actually met him. Also I doubted he was interested in anything happening in the future. That's why I had to come up with another story. And I knew just the thing.


	10. Lies and deception

_I had to come up with another story for the basilisk. And I just knew the thing._

Without showing fear I sat down cross legged on the cold floor. My body relaxed and I went halfway into my meditative state as I gave my voice a dreamy tone.

"I... am Hogwarts", I said calmly.

For a second nothing but an irritated swish with the tail could be heard from the basilisk.

"What?", it then asked exasperated.

"I", I repeated, "am the spirit of the castle that houses you, king of serpents."

I could feel the hot breath of the mighty beast in my neck. It must be inches from me.

"Explain yourself."

I took another breath. "Haven't you felt me all around you in all those years? Have I not cared for you and hold you a secret? The feeling of home you have, the reason you never left although our master is long since dead, is it not because you feel my love towards you?"

I thanked Hermione for being there to practice sweet talking on.

"You are human", the basilisk stated flatly.

I laughed lightly. "I am not human, great serpent. I am stone. I am the castle. The Great Four gave life to me and made me sentient. I have been carrying their will ever since the first students walked through my doors. This little human you see is simply a volunteer that agreed on letting himself be filled with my spirit so I could speak to you. He is the only one I could find who spoke your tongue." Making the little human irreplaceable, thank you very much.

I heard a rustling noise. It was irritating that I couldn't see the snake.

"Salazar did mention that the castle had a will on its own", he said reluctantly.

"Of course he knew. He created me, after all, just like he raised you. The two of us, we are siblings in magic."

"Then why do you only come now?", the serpent asked and it actually sounded kind of... sad? Reproachful?

"I come to ask for your help, brother. I fear I am in grave danger and only you can help me."  
The basilisk hissed furiously. "Who dares to threaten you, Hogwarts?"

I barely suppressed a snicker. The great beast was actually buying it. Well, it was only an animal after all. I could see it with Notch, you could talk to him about trivial things like food or games or even girls but when it came to more complex subjects his little brain just couldn't keep up.

"Sadly, it is the child you know very well. It is the heir of our dear master."

The basilisk was shocked for a second or two. "Tom?"

I sighed. "Names do not matter to a being such as me, brother. I see, however, you know who I mean. I am afraid that child has broken the law of my founders."

"Broken... the law?"

"The law of neutrality", I said impatiently. "Don't tell me you have forgotten about it? I am never to be the subject of petty human argues, that is what my founders wanted. But the one who sits in my highest tower has disregarded that law in his attempt to fight the childs revolution. In return the heir plans to bring him down and making my courtyard a battleground."

"How dare they!"

"Indeed. Both the high one and the child have disregarded my neutrality. I am no longer a safe place.

In old times the lion had a fight with the serpent too. The serpent left us but the lion let him go in peace. The high one is a lion too just like the child is a serpent. After he left the lion still sent his minions to bit him so now the child comes back to strike. It is irrelevant who is right and who is wrong. All I want is my students to be safe, even if I have to protect them from two of my other children. Will you help me, brother?"

The silence was longer this time and I already feared he would decline my request. Such a thing would surely mean death for me.

"I see... your trouble dear... hss... are you male or female?"

I laughed again, this time relieved. "I am neither. However you can call me brother, if you'd like."

"Well then, I see your trouble, brother. I think Tom a suitable heir to my master. I am sad to inform you that his line was always more important to him then you. Why else would he have left?"

A cold shill run down my back.

"However... Tom is also very dangerous for the line. His wish is to become immortal. Never would he willingly have an egg that would grow to be his heir. I have obeyed him because I thought him the last. I obeyed him to honor my master. Now though you have brought another child before me that speaks my tongue."  
I blinked in surprise. "The little human is a serpent and distantly related to our master. But he does not come from the heir." That would be an idea, though. Why didn't I think of that? I could've pretended to be Voldemorts son! … nah, then I would have needed a good reason why I wanted to kill my father. Or grandfather.

"If that is the case... Then he carries the blood, the ability and through you the will of my master in him. I will do everything to help you."  
Jackpott!

"I am happy to hear that. I have come to warn you... A few moons from now on the child will return in the body of a ginger girl. She will command you as he did before. I will prepare a little surprise for him. You may do as he says until I come back and tell you my plan. You will recognize me why I call you 'brother'."

"I will, Hogwarts."

"Then I shall leave now. Do not be sad. Remember that I am always with you. I am the stone that surrounds you, the statue you live in. I am the water you drink and the tunnels you travel. Fare well, brother."  
"Farewell..." Now he definitely sounded sad.

Without turning around I grabbed my broom again, making a show out of moving robotic. The door opened at my hissed command and behind me I could hear the basilisk slithering back into his nest.

Oh yes, I already had a plan for second year. An evil, evil plan.

* * *

The next day Hermione nearly knocked me over crying in relief when I met her to our first shared class transfiguration.

"I'm sorry it took me so long", I whispered, patting her back. "It was already past ten when I was finished with my business. But everything is alright now."  
"Alright? _Alright?! _I was worried sick when you didn't show up! And... and rumor has it there was a troll in the castle last night and that your brother fought it together with Weasley – and I thought-"

"Herminny, calm down. I knew the troll would be there so I went today when everyone else was distracted. Did your quest go as planned?"  
"Well – yes. I haven't told anyone yet. Oh!" She pulled something out of her bag. "That reminds me. You can take that back now. You won't need it anymore, right?"

I looked at the letter in her hands. "You know what, Helen – keep it. There're still a couple of other chances for me to kick the bucket this year."  
"But-"  
"No buts. Just treat it like my testament or something. Now, since we both were successful, what about you meet me after dinner in the seventh floor at the tapestry of Barnabas the Barmy for your reward?" I winked at her.

Hermione seemed to remember only now that I had promised to show her a room inside of Hogwarts with more books then the library. Immediately a greedy light could be seen in her eyes and she dropped the subject in favor of entering class.

In the evening I went up into the seventh floor. Walking three times in front of the blank wall I concentrated on the need to hide something. Sure enough the door appeared and I entered. I did not want to reveal how the room could be accessed so I waited another fifteen minutes before I slipped the door open. Hermione was already standing next to the tapestry.

"Helena!", I called and got a childish satisfaction out of the fact that she reacted to the name.

Hermione jumped into the air in surprise.

"Charles! What are you – that door wasn't there before, was it?"  
I grinned at her. "Come forward, minion of mine, and claim your reward." I mock saluted her.

Hermione came closer with gleaming eyes. As soon as she saw the little mountains of trash, books and invaluable items, I knew it would be _very _hard to ever get her away from here if I let her lose.

"You have exactly one hour", I whispered into her ear. "You may take with you as much as you can carry with your own two arms." Such a limit was necessary if I wanted to continue to use this room to reward her.

Hermione didn't seem to notice. I had just shown her heaven, therefore, I was god. She would do anything to please me.

Another reason for the limit was that I still had to do something else. One hour before curfew I found myself in a small antechamber to the Great Hall. The Black Mamba had lead me here, to the room where the last existing (to my knowledge) portrait of Salazar Slytherin hung.

He did indeed look a lot like the statue in his chamber (which was not a compliment). The black and gray background didn't do anything to lighten the mood when you looked at the man in the tall armchair. Luckily the other paintings did not show any humans so I was confident when I stepped forward.

"Lord Slytherin", I addressed him politely in parseltongue, "I beg for your attention. I have brought what you sent me out to get."

Slowly the dark haired man who had pretended to be asleep opened his eyes.

Without further ado I showed him the scales I had found in the Chamber.

Slytherin blinked. And blinked again.

"You were in my chamber", he then stated the obvious.

"Yes I was."  
"Quite an accomplishment for a first year... How did you do it?"

"As you may know the chamber was opened around fifty years ago. A muggleborn girl died by the gaze of the basilisk. She's hunting the toilet now. All the other victims were only petrified. Since it was said that only your heir, someone who could speak parseltongue, could control the so called beast, it had to be a snake-like creature able to petrify people. Add to that that it had to be able to become several centuries old the only possibility was a basilisk. The attacks were all in different parts of the castle. For such a great snake to move around freely pipes were the easiest explanation. The engraving on the sink where the girl died was the last hint."

Slytherin nodded gravely. "I see you are a clever child. Not many would have been able to piece it together with just those hints. Otherwise the chamber would have been long since found. Do tell me, child, what do you desire from me?"

"I am simply in search for an intelligent mind to share and compare my views with. Around this castle I always have to hide my real self. I do not feel like I belong here. Something seems to be off."

"What do you mean?"

"Well, for example Slytherin house. Everyone thinks that Slytherins are generally fated to become dark wizards and do evil deeds. The prejudices I had to hear just because I was sorted into your noble house are insane. Even if some of the rumors are right, even if I share certain views that they look down on, I simply wish to know... is that really how it's supposed to be?"

For a moment Slytherin was silent. He was watching me seriously and, dare I say, approvingly.

"Not many children have looked upon this matter the way you have. I have been watching the developments of my house for many centuries. Some I have approved of, others I despised. But each generation has to make their own experiences and mistakes and so I have never interfered. Slytherins do not turn against each other. My time is long since over. I will try to answer your questions to the best of my knowledge since you are a fellow serpent. However if I hear that you are misusing that knowledge, then you should know that this will be the last time we spoke."

"Of course, Lord Slytherin", I said politely. "Thank your for your honesty. First I would like to know the original reason you build the Chamber of Secrets."

"The Chamber was build as a last resort."

"For whom?"  
"For Slytherins."

"Against whom?"  
"Against anyone who would threaten them."

I scowled. "I don't understand."  
"We Slytherins always had a lot of enemies. In that regard your time and mine are not so different. I wanted my house to be able to protect itself. Against outside threats like muggles or foreign enemy wizards as well as the other houses, if necessary. It also provided leverage. Never would a headmaster try to banish Slytherin house if he knew a deadly creature buried underneath it would rise to destroy the entire castle, now would he?"

"I see. So the basilisk was meant to be an defensive weapon."  
"You could say that."

"Funny thing that is. Nowadays people believe you left it so that your heir could one day use it to kill off all the muggleborns from the school, like the last one tried to."  
"That was most certainly not the purpose. Although I do admit the boy was quite clever in the execution of his plan. Seeing mudblood students being petrified lead to their parents taking them out. It would have been impossible to attack them all but that tactic made it unnecessary anyway. If there hadn't been that accident with the girl who died, forcing the Governors to think about closing the school, it might have actually worked."

"Does that mean you knew Tom? Did he come to speak to you too?"  
"Oh? You know his name?"  
"I do. Did you tell him about the chamber?"  
"No, he found that out on his own."  
"I see. I would have been surprised. He's a halfblood after all."

"Yes, indeed. Only his marvelous amount of talent makes up for that shortcoming. You yourself can't be anything less, I suppose?"  
"Father's a pureblood", I said absentmindedly.

"I suppose you have your gift from your father's side then?"

I sighed. It was showtime again.

"That's just the thing. Tom Riddle is actually my grand father on my mothers's side. Only that now he calls himself Voldemort and until a few years ago was leading a war against England. He's a dark wizard with an obsession for immortality. When he though he had reached it he went searching for my parents. An immortal does not need an heir after all. My mother had been adopted by a muggle family so she didn't know about anything but it seemed he had been watching her. He saw what kind of potential my brother and me had and wanted to kill us, afraid that we might try to take his place one day."  
Slytherins eyes widened in realization. "You are Charles Potter."  
"I am."

"I see. Well, that is quite an unexpected turn."  
"I only found out the truth recently. Since parseltongue was supposed to be so rare it made me suspicious so I tracked down my mothers adoption papers and had the goblins help to check my inheritance."

"Do you share your grandfathers dream? Do you desire immortality?"  
I shuddered. "Hell no. I can't believe so few people realize what kind of horrible curse that would be. To know that there will never be an end – it would render all the moments of joy in our life meaningless. As well as the sad ones, I suppose. But that would only make us empty dolls."

"Those are wise words coming from someone as young as yourself. I myself have outlived my wife and eldest son and that alone can be enough to drive a man into insanity."

"Well, I wouldn't know. I never lost anyone close to me. At least not to death."

We remained in a comfortable silence for a few seconds.

"Lord Slytherin", I said finally, "I know that Voldemort will attack Hogwarts sooner or later. The headmaster, Albus Dumbledore is currently his greatest enemy. Should it ever come to that battle I have to know – on whose side will you be on?"

"Hogwarts shall be a safe place for children. I would not allow such a battle to take place here."

"Then I would ask for your support."  
Slytherin chuckled. "I am nothing but a portrait. Less then a shadow of myself. You have everything you need to get strong already. What else would you need my support for?"  
"It is less what you could do, but what I ask you not to do. My brother does not know of our inheritance. He is a Gryffindor and I fear he would not be able to handle it."

"He will not hear it from me."  
"Secondly I think I might have... confused the Bloody Baron."

"Oh, did you?"

"Well, yes. It might be that he comes to you to ask for affirmation for a… tale I have told him. I'm not sure exactly who he believes me to be since I was very vague, but..."

At this Slytherin actually laughed. "My, my, do you have any idea what it needs to upset the Baron of Cunningham to the point where he seeks advise from his hated head of family?"

I gaped at him. "Head of family?"  
"Sure. Richard Cunningham was my nephew. We despised each other deeply."

"Then why, if you don't mind me asking, is he the ghost of your house now?"  
Slytherins gaze grew cold. "As a punishment. You see, Cunnigham was the one who murdered me."

Alright, I should really get my jaw back from the floor.

"He sure was a bastard, wasn't he? First you, then Helena..."  
"So you know about Helena? Yes, it is always love that makes people commit the most horrible crimes. At that time I had already left Hogwarts, however I was still in contact with the other founders. Cunninghams father died in battle, that's why he fell under my jurisdiction as his head of family. In order to propose to Helena Ravenclaw he needed my consent. Knowing that the girl was averse to him and that dear Rowena would have my head if I allowed him anywhere near her precious daughter I declined his request. He killed me in order to become head of the family himself."

"But how could he have probably best you? Weren't you one of the greatest wizards of the century?"  
"My life was very dangerous at that time and he lived under my roof. All he had to do was to wait for me to come home weakened from one of my trips. And, mind you, he _was_ one of my best students. For the rest of the world I simply succumbed to my wounds."

"I see. But not before you had not cursed him."

His smirk was incredibly smug – and evil.

"Oh, yes. You should have seen his face when he found himself here, right in front of my portrait, realizing he now had to spent an eternity with the people he had killed.

You know, Helena was a very ungrateful brat."  
"I heard about it. She stole her mothers diadem, right?"  
"Yes, knowing about his obsession with her Rowena sent Cunningham to get her back, even going so far as to promise him her hand if she was willing should he succeed. Cunningham was not pure evil... He was just very hot-tempered. He did regret the murders both mine and Helenas. But that does not mean that I won't remind him of it for the rest of his existence."

I chuckled lightly. "Well, if you enjoy unsettling him you might like my little tale."  
"What is it?"  
"Well, you see, half the Slytherin first years think that I am the host to your noble soul being reborn into the human world."

Slytherin blinked. And blinked again. And burst out laughing.

"How did you manage to make them believe that?"  
"Well, partly it has to do with annoying the Bloody Baron the way I did. With the information you just gave me I could drive this game a little further, if you'd allow."  
Slytherin smiled amused by me. "You want to pose as the greatest wizard who ever walked the doors of Hogwarts? You want to pretend you are a pureblood, a master of the Dark Arts, the epitome of nobility? You want to make the world believe you are me, the Greatest of the Hogwarts Four?"

"Not self-absorbed at all, are we?"

He gave me a lenient smile. "You are far from the point where you could accomplish such a thing."

"It was easier then I would have imagined. You see, when something unexplainable happens then people want answers. For them it does not matter whenever it's the truth or not, they just want to be able to sleep at night again. Certain abilities like parseltongue I want to use but I'd like to conceal where I have it from. People expect a great secret behind it. In creating a wonderful and absurd tale about its origin I can satisfy their curiosity. I'm not sure if you're aware of it but your reputation is not the best nowadays. Right now they only think I'm joking around. But when I reveal my true colors they will question if what I said couldn't be the truth. They will slowly start to believe it. I am using this story do hide that the truth is actually even more repulsive."  
"I see. You hide your black colors by cloaking yourself in gray. Once somebody gets to look behind your white veil they will find your cover story. They will be upset that there is one but far less so as if they knew the truth. It is all distraction and deception."

"Well yes thanks, I _am _a Slytherin."

"Very well. This could prove to be interesting. It has long been since I last got such a good laugh. I promise I will not reveal your secrets."  
"That is all I could ever wish for. You know, out of all people I have met so far... including my family and friends... You were the most pleasant one to talk to."

Slytherin tilted his head. "I am always happy to help a fellow snake."

I made my way to the door feeling as if I had accomplished something. Only when I was already out of earshot Slytherin whispered to himself:  
"And maybe next time, young serpent, you will tell me the truth..."


	11. Outtakes

It was the day before the first Quidditch match. Hermione had taught me her spell to create a portable fire and I was sitting in the courtyard together with Zabini and Nott and acted as if it was my own discovery that I wanted to share with them.

Harry came towards me with Ron in tow. At first I just ignored him but when he cleared his throat I looked up at him.

"Uh, Charles, could I... could I have a word with you?"

"Afraid you'll fall off your broom tomorrow, Potter?", Nott said grinning. "Wanna say goodbye to family?"

"Shut up, Nott!", Ron said angrily.

Theodore stood up, fury present in his gaze.

"It's alright", I said calmly. "Theo, Blaise, would you leave us alone for a moment?"

The two Slytherins gave another sharp look at the Gryffindors. Eventually though they nodded and left without thinking. I already had them as far that I could sent them away instead of just leaving together with my brother. I smirked because it showed just how much they had already accepted me as their leader.

"What is it this time, brother?", I asked slightly annoyed. "You know that I expect payment for predictions? If you want to know how tomorrows game ends..."  
"It's not about that", Harry said angrily. "Although that would be... Never mind. No, it's about _this._"

He pulled out an old newspaper. Just one look at the front page told my everything I had to know. It was the article about the break-in in Gringotts.

"Ah. _That_."

"What do you know about it?", ginger wanted to know.

"The question is, what do _you _know about it?"

"Remember when Professor Snape took us to Diagon Alley? You didn't come with us to the vault but we didn't only visit the trust vault. Snape went to another one, taking with him a package around this big." He showed me with his hands. "I asked what it was but he wouldn't tell be. In this article it says that the vault with exactly that number was being emptied the day before. Snape must have taken the package and brought it to Hogwarts. I bet it's in that forbidden third corridor."  
"Why do you think that?", I asked lazily.

"Because after what you told us the other day we asked Rons brothers about – what was it?"  
"A hell hound." Ron shuddered. "It seemed Fred and George went to the corridor in their first week and there was a giant freaking Cerberus in there! It was guarding a trap door."  
"But that's not all", Harry continued. "Remember Halloween? We had heard that Hermione was not at the feast because... well... and so we went looking for her. We couldn't find her but the troll found us. Ron knocked him out with its own club and -"

"Yes, yes, I know about that."  
"Well, yeah but we noticed that when all the teachers headed for the dungeons Snape actually went in the direction of the third floor. And just today I was walking by Filchs office because Snape took my book and I wanted to have it back and – and you should've seen it! His leg was all bloody and stuff. He even mentioned something about it being impossible to watch for all three heads at the same time."

"Snape tried to steal what's in that corridor", ginger concluded, "it's the only explanation."  
"And why", I asked tiredly, "wouldn't he have just left when he had it in Gringotts?"

"Well...", Harry said hesitantly, "I suppose Dumbldedore sent him to get it. If he had just left everyone would have known it was him. Now he can make it look as if an outsider took it."

"That... is the stupidest thing I've ever heard. Get it out of your head."

"I told you he wouldn't care", Ron said angrily to Harry. "He's Snapes favorite after all. Even if he knew he was up to something he would cover for him."  
I snorted. "I most certainly would not."  
"Do you know what the dog guards?", Harry asked.

"Hm... Maybe, maybe not. I'll tell you what I know if you pay me."

Harry sighed. "What do you want?"

I pointed at Ron. "I want his rat."  
They gaped at me. "What?!"  
"You heard me right. I am in need of new pet that I can... experiment on. You give me the rat, I give you the info."  
"No way!", ginger cried. "Scabbers is mine!"

"You're probably just setting us up anyway. When we give you the rat you'll just say 'nothing' 'cause you promised us you would tell us what you knew."

"Well, that might me true... or it might not. Suppose you'll never know."

"Come on Harry. We're only wasting out time."

I watched the two boys head for the castle again and snickered. Seemed as if the storyline was still intact. Time for phase two.

* * *

The next day the stadium was filled to the last seat. Everyone wanted to see the first match of the season, Gryffindor against Slytherin. I was dressed in Slytherin colors with a green-and silver striped scarf around my neck and, for the sake of this special day, Notch had come out with me. I had found a spell that made him actually look like a tattoo. Together with my ability to change colors he now seemed to be a black serpent made out of fire-like patterns that originated somewhere on my chest and wound itself around my neck up right onto my face where his head laid onto my right cheek. I though it looked incredibly cool.

In the shadows of the stands I was leaning against a pole. In front of me a jam glass stood on the ground, in it a flickering blue fire.

Right on time another figure came towards me hidden under the wooden structure of poles and pillars of the stadium. Blaise Zabini had the hood of his winter cloak with silver trimming pulled up so that his face laid in the shadows.

"Arriving on schedule as always", I said, nodding approvingly in his direction.

"Tardiness is for the lazy and the irresponsible", he said sneering. "I heard that you have a...", he licked his lips nervously, "...mission for me."

Indeed in order to make me appear as mysterious as possible I no longer gave the more important commands by approaching my fellow students myself. Instead I commanded others to relay the message for me. I could have just used owls but this was to show my power.

For the Slytherin first years, at least those I planned working with in the future, I had slowly leaked rumors about my new mission and quest system. Still I was careful. As of now aside from Hermione only Draco Malfoy, Theodore Nott, Blaise Zabini, Tracey Davis and Daphne Greengrass knew. That was more then half of my serpent year mates and the rest was only excluded because of their stupidity.

"Indeed I have." I nodded towards the glass jar.

Zabini kneeled down to inspect it. He recognized it as the portable fire I had shown him the other day. Still he stayed on the ground while holding it, like a knight kneeling in front of his Lord.

I felt like a bad ass leader giving orders to an assassin. Talk about boosting my ego.

"Should you succeed with this mission you will be my right hand at the first meeting of my new founded group in three days. Should you be discovered after completing the mission you will likely earn detention for a few weeks. Should you however fail... Then I will make your life in Slytherin hell for you before ripping you apart, painfully, slowly, bit by bit. The mission is that important. Do you understand?"

"Yes I do", Blaise whispered hoarsely. I could see the fear in his eyes. My confidence made me an excellent actor.

"Good. Now I want you to go over to the southern side of the stadium. Climb to the fifth rank, make sure no one sees you. You should then find yourself directly under the teachers box. From that point out I want you to observe not the game but the opposite side of the stadium. At one time of the game a great flag will be swung that carries the serpent of Slytherin. You will be able to tell it from any others because it is silver with a green serpent, not the other way around. Upon seeing this sign I want you to release this fire at the hem of Professor Sprouts robes."

Blaises' eyes widened. "You want me to set a professor on fire?"

"Yes, that is exactly what I want."  
"Why?  
"Do not question, do not doubt. Tell no one. Those are the three rules everyone who wants to join me has to follow. Are you implying that you are not ready for this?"

Blaise shook his head slowly and stood. "No, I'll do it. I just... I do not understand."

"Everything will become clear in due time. And if it doesn't... then you don't have to know. Now prepare yourself. The game is about to start."

Blaise left in a hurry. Slowly I made my own way up to where Draco was saving me a seat. I had told Daphne and Tracy to get a flag of the desired design. Of course they had no idea what it was for.

The game itself was boring. I really had no interest in Quidditch. However I had still arrived early to see exactly where the professors sat. In the books Hermione had accidentally knocked over Quirrell on her way to Snape. In the movies Snape had stood up after realizing he was aflame, knocking off Quirrell himself. It seemed now that the stoyline followed the first line. In front of Quirrell sat not Snape but Sprout.

Of course it would have been just as efficient to set Quirrell aflame but that could make a certain someone suspicious.

"Hey Charles, what is your brother doing up there? Dancing?", Malfoy said chuckling and pointed up into the sky. Sure enough there was Harry fighting with his cursed broom.

I did not answer the blonde, instead watching my brother struggle.

"He's going to fall off his broom", Daphne stated neutrally. She gave me a look as if to check if that bothered me. By now the Weasley twins were circling under him. A little more...

"I think someone is cursing his broom", Hermione murmured. "Shouldn't we... Shouldn't we do something about it?" However since she wasn't friends with Harry she did not rash into actions like she did in canon. She was actually pretty cool about it.

"Calm down, Hermin. Everything's under control", I told her with a smirk.

Slytherin had just scored the fifth goal when I addressed Tracy, without letting Harry out of sight.

"Tracy, dear, that flag you brought..."  
"Ah, yes... I had forgotten all about that."  
"Swing it now."  
"Now?", she asked confused. It didn't seem to be the right time with the entire stadium concentration on Harry, who was only holding onto his broom with one hand.

"Yes, _now!"_ I put enough venom in that one word to kill her if she didn't obey instantly. Fearfully Tracey grabbed the silver flag and swung it high into the air.

Blaise seemed to be focused on Harry too, causing him _almost_ to fell off. However in the last moment the broom suddenly became very still and Harry managed to pull himself up again.

Hermione sighed in relief.

One to zero for me, Moldyshorts.

* * *

It was November 7th and a small crowd had assembled in the trophy room. The Slytherins were there, including Malfoy, Zabini and Greengrass. Susan Bones and the Patil twins represented the purebloods from other houses.

The muggleborns were Terry Boot and Lisa Turpin from Ravenclaw, Justin Finch-Fletchley from Hufflepuff and Dean Thomas and my brother from Gryffindor. I had made sure that the numbers (not counting me) were even. Although Nott had been terribly disappointed that he was left out on the fun. I promised he could replace the Slytherin who behaved the worst on this meeting next time.

"Attention please", I called when the time was up. I revealed myself only now. Since I had won Slytherins acceptance all the snakes in various paintings obliged to me. Those paintings knew the castle like no one else. Add to that that I could enter one bathroom in the dungeons and fly up the pipes into every tower (I now always carried a shrunken broom with me) I was able to turn up at every spot in the castle at any time.

The whispers died down and people looked at me expectantly.

"I am happy to see that so many of you want to take part in my new little club. As I have announced before in our group called 'Outtakes' pure-bloods will teach muggleborns about wizarding customs. In order to make it easier for you to understand we will compare it to muggle ones. But even if after the lesson you are still more comfortable with muggle means I have to ask you to learn the magical alternative nonetheless. The world will not change itself from one day to another simply because you cannot adept. We will hold those lessons for one and half an hour. Then there's a fifteen minutes break and after that we will come to our second part, the dueling practice. I think that it could do for a fabulous new sport. Since we are only first years the teachers though we would need no supervision. No one of us is able yet to do any damage that could not be fixed by bringing the student to the hospital wing. Theoretically though, since we aren't an _official _dueling club a student could be punished if he hurt another. Therefore if anyone is accusing another club member for something he did during lessons he is automatically excluded from any further meetings. Same goes for everyone who can't behave. I don't want any serious fights, be it physically or verbally. I am the leader of the Outtakes and those are my rules. Any questions?"

"Yeah", a Hufflepuff asked, "how do you expect us to duel here without damaging anything?"  
"Oh, we won't duel here. I simply wanted to give anyone who had last doubts the chance to drop out before I lead you to our meeting room."

"What's with all the 'only one chance' crap? And that not everyone can join?"  
"Those are lessons from purebloods to muggleborns. Of course halfbloods would already know all of that", I answered calmly. "Therefore, there is no need for them to come. I want to keep the group small for the beginning. When we have more experience, they will be invited for the second part at least."

"How exactly do we know that you're not just trying to raise a mini Death Eater group?", a brave Ravenclaw asked.

I looked at him pointedly. "Really? Do they look like Corpse Crunchers to you? Because if they do, Moldyshorts must be pretty pathetic." I looked around. "No more questions? Fine then. Zabini, please lead the group to our new room. I will be with you guys in a minute. Have some last-minute preparations to do."

The group followed Blaise out of the room while I headed in the other direction.

I had no last-minute preparations to do. In fact, I only wanted to show off my arriving at the seventh floor before everyone else when they where supposed to take the shortest way. And no, that's not just because I'm an arrogant brat and want to see their stupid faces. Its really all about showing power.

Plus Hermione was already in the room. She had done all the preparing so now I could walk in front of the doors just thinking 'I need to meet Hermione.' I had let her in half an hour ago again without her having a chance to see how to access the room. Now all I had to do was leaving the door open a little bit. Those where first years we're talking about. They would just think this room one of many. However if I wanted to ditch one of them he would never be able to find that room again since it was always me that let them in.

The rest of the group arrived ten minutes later. The room now looked like an ordinary class room. There were two long tables at the sides for the purebloods and muggleborns. Ahead of them was a small desk for two persons and behind them a great blackboard. Knowing what to do Hermione and Zabini took their places at the desk.

"Muggleborns to the right, pure-bloods to the left please", I said while taking my place at the blackboard. "You will not need to make notes. Miss Greengrass has agreed to record the lessons with her enchanted quill that writes automatically. A copy can be given to anyone who desires it."  
"Can I have one of those quills too?", Terry asked.

"I'm afraid they're rather expensive and we do not yet have any club funds. Now to the structure of these meetings. I have prepared subjects to be covered, however the order is up to you. Therefore we'll start with general questions. Who would like to start?"

Dean Thomas raised his hand first. "I had wondered, what do wizards do for a living?"

I nodded at Hermione. As the representative of the muggleborns she was to 'translate' their questions to introduce a subject.

"In the muggle world you can work in four different kinds of branches. First it's the producing of primary resources like farmers or woodcutters. Second are the industrials who use those goods to make products like furniture or spicery. Third is the service sector. There you can find doctors and wellness business and drivers and the police and so on. Most people in England work in that sector. Finally there's the information sector. You can find lawyers there and tax accountants."

Now Blaise explained: "The magical world isn't exactly organized like that. For example we don't have a production sector, except when it comes to farming magical animals like dragons. For the other though I'm sure we can find examples. Miss Bones, don't you have an aunt working as a lawyer?"  
"Uhm, yeah", Susan said, a little flustered.

"Why don't you tell us something about her work?"  
I smiled to myself. Blaise was doing this very good indeed.

"Well, of course there are always a lot of criminals in the world so when the aurors bring one in my aunt makes sure ge gets what he deserves."

"I'm sorry, but what's an auror?", Justin asked.

And from there on it stared. The lesson was spent quickly explaining about the inner workings of the ministry, the auror corps and the prison Azkaban. We found out that wizards got their primary resources from muggles. The Patil family was actually one of very few families that made it their job to buy these resources from great muggle factories and sell it over to pure-bloods who would not take it from muggles (that actually surprised a couple of Slytherins. They had never really bothered to know where their house elves got the food from.)

The producing provided a lot of jobs too. Everything from clothing to wands was produced magically. The price depended on the level of enchantment of course.

What was special about the service sector was that there was almost no competition. The ministry and the aurors of course formed the main body here. But it was for example very rare for a new shop to open. The shops in Hogsmeade where the same as they were a hundred years ago and even most adult wizards could only name those three locations for shopping; Hogsmeade, Diagon Alley and Nocturn Alley. The reason for that was that wizards did not have to drive long hours from one place to another, therefore not every town or even greater city had a hidden magical passage at all. With two secret alleys and the magical village England was already one of the most organized magical countries of the world in terms of shopping.

Lastly the information sector was almost nonexistent too. Outside of lawyers the only jobs the pure-bloods could come up with that fitted that description were the Unspeakables and maybe inventors of new spells, but those were incredible rare.

A lot of things muggles would need to go to a professional (like getting a hair cut) wizards did for themselves. As such you had decidedly less choices in carrier.

The discussion was mainly lead by Hermione and Blaise. Just sometimes when no one knew what to say or how to continue I would cut in. In other situations I would deliberately change the course of conversation where I wanted to have it. Through the books I knew exactly what kind of information was necessary and what was not. These lessons provided me with an excuse. Should I ever drop a comment on, let's say Azkaban people now wouldn't wonder why a first year muggle raised student knew about the prison. Also a big part of the reason Harry Potter was such a pathetic hero who had to rely on luck alone (what did it say that he didn't cast a _single _spell in the entire first movie?) was that no one ever informed him of the important stuff. They just assumed he would know. Whatever I did my brother would play an important role in future events. It didn't matter to me whenever he would be on my side or against me. I didn't want him to be pathetic. That just wouldn't be good for my show.


	12. Christmas

Almost done! ... well, I've almost finished the fanfiction but since I always write ahead there are still a couple of chapters waiting for you. Still, isn't it nice to know this story will definitely not be canceled?

Now this chapter has a lot of lenghly explanations in it but I also have a very funny scene for you. Enjoy!

* * *

November went by fast. I held another two Outtakes. Between them and my private potions lessons twice a week I was almost as busy as Harry who had his Quidditch training. So far only one student (Finch-Fletchly) had left the group. The managing positions changed frequently. Zabini, Nott and Malfoy each took their turns. Hermione was replaced by Terry Boot once as well. After the lesson I had all my students awed when all I did was clap my hands and as if on cue the tables vanished to make space for a dueling platform. They though it was wandless magic when really I was just commanding the room. I did know some tricks but I wasn't _that _powerful.

Mainly we practiced to use the spells we had learned in classes do defend ourselves like I did in my duel with Harry. I made sure the room always provided some random items that could be used to do so. Sometimes an eager Ravenclaw or a an ambitious Slytherin would discover a minor hex or jinx. At the beginning of each meeting we had one duel between two students that I chose on the meeting before. Such a new spell could then be used as a surprise weapon and was afterwards taught to the rest of the group. That way I learned the leg logger as well as the full body bind, the bat bogey hex, the silencio (it made first years with no knowledge of silent spells efficiently helpless), a tripping charm and even a stinging hex. At the beginning of December we had even begun to practice the basic Protego.

Meanwhile I had continued to level my power over my fellow Slytherins and even begun to stretch my influence towards other houses.

My strongest subject was definitely charms. One day I had asked if I could practice that one spell we had as a homework that would change the attributes of human hair on Hermione. Since her bushy hair was (aside from her large front teeth) what made her so unattractive she had no problem agreeing. When I was done with her she looked fabulous. Silky long hair of the color of mahogany fell over her shoulders, providing a slightly red glimmer when hit by the sunlight just right. Seeing herself in the mirror Hermione burst out into tears.

The spell only held for a week so she begged me to teach it to her since our schoolwork only required to be able to change the color.

A week later Hermione, who had taken a liking to the shy an quiet Lisa Turpin (who was so insignificant she wasn't even mentioned in _any _of the books _ever _again after her sorting) brought her to me for the same treatment. Suddenly being beautiful Lisa found herself in the center of attention. At first she had to rely heavily on Hermione and me but eventually she became more confident. That was how I gained my second devoted follower outside of Slytherin house.

Malfoy was now working hard to get back into my favor to the point where he was actually useful.

Slowly I had now begun to give out quests more freely. Some where completely random and served no purpose at all except for confusing everybody who might want to check exactly what I was doing. Others where small preparations for future events or making sure the time line stayed in check. Since Harry and Ron had not seen Snape mouthing counter-curses at the Quidditch game the chance for Hagrid to tell them about Flamel had passed. I arranged a situation where they could overhear Malfoy complaining that his father suspected that something big was going on in Hogwarts but he didn't tell him what. The only thing he could find out was that it had to do with someone named Nicholas Flamel.

Sometimes I just ordered people to find out everything they could about others, even those from my own circle. And then there were those of a completely different kind. Sometimes when I didn't know what to reward people with I gave them a free wish, encouraging that they could wish for anything they wanted. Hermione usually simply wished for me to let her into the Room of Hidden Things. Malfoy wished for me to visit him over Christmas. Other students wished for a special artifact or book or even for something embarrassing happening to a teacher. Tracy Davis actually shyly wished for a date with Theodore (who I just so happened to know had absolutely no interest in her).

So I made sure their wishes were granted. I gave small groups of students missions to prank a certain teacher. Since they were planning it together with their desire to impress me but no real motive the chance of discovery was a lot smaller. I let Malfoy purchase the artifacts I needed for me. Once when Theodore was messing up an important potions essay I ordered him to spent an entire weekend with Tracy pretending to like her as a punishment. That way when people though about my mission pattern they soon gave up on it. The missions seemed to be completely random. Yet it lead to people slowly beginning to be dependent on me.

Still there were moments when I was sure they though me crazy. One day in mid December for example I called all my Slytherins together.

It was very early in the morning on a Sunday so everyone was still a little bit sleepy.

"Today", I announced with a serious tone, "is a very important day. It is a great day everyone of you will forever remember. Today you get to see something so special you will tell your grandchildren of it. Today we had the first snow of the year. Follow me and see!"

Now very excited the firsties followed me as I lead them out into the courtyard.

"Stay here", I ordered them and so they all stood or sat down on the benches on the right side to the portal.

And we waited. And waited.

"Exactly what are we waiting for?", Daphne asked eventually.

"Patience, little serpent. You will not be able to get anywhere in life if you can't sit still on a spot for five hours."

Malfoy gaped a bit at the five hours part but nobody dared to complain. Instead, they used the time to practice their warming charms. Eventually Hermione joined us, wondering what we were waiting for.

And then there they came.

Fred and George Weasley came running out of the portal, laughing and throwing snowballs at each other.

"Soon", I whispered. That got the attention of the rest of the group. But nothing out of the ordinary happened.

Just then Professor Quirrell left the castle to cross the courtyard. The Weasley twins grinned at each other, pointed at him and whispered something.

"Look closely", I told my minions and they all watched as the Weasleys drew their wands and began to enchant the small mountain of snowballs they had made. The snowballs rose into the air and like little cannonballs they flew in Quirrells direction. With a heavy WRATCH the first one bounced of the back of his turban.

I couldn't hold it any longer. I started laughing so hard I had to hold my rips. My minions stared at me confused as I rolled on the ground laughing while more and more snowballs hit Quirrells turban. They didn't know that I constantly had the picture in my mind of the twins throwing snowballs at Moldyshorts – because nothing else was it that they were doing. This did _so _made my week.

Finally the Weasleys run off laughing and I picked myself up from the ground.

"That picture", I said, wiping away a tear, "I want you to remember that picture. I want you to remember it _forever._ It is more important then you think it is."

"A-Alright..."

"And now", I said breathing heavily, "excuse me, guys. I have to congratulate a pair of geniuses."

To say the twins were surprised when I approached them was a grave understatement. They were pretty suspicious at first too. But my praise was honest when I told them I had never enjoyed a prank so much in my entire life. I even invited them to the next Outtakes dueling session.

"You guys are pretty good at pranking, aren't you? Have you ever though about opening a shop for that?"  
Their faces lit up at that.

"My, dear brother, what is he-"

"-saying there? That's a fabulous idea!"

"Yeah, if it weren't for mum. She would never allow that."

"Who the hell cares?", I said angrily. "She can't do anything against it when you're of age. Tell you what, I'll give you a special quest. You have time to fulfill it until the end of the year. If you don't, that's your loss but if you succeed I'll fund your pranks for as long as I'm in Hogwarts."  
"What kind of quest?", a twin asked suspiciously.

"Oh, it's easy. All you have to do is rip away Quirrells turban and expose the back of his head for the whole school to see. Like so many other students I want to know if it's really filled with garlic to ward off vampires."

The twins grinned as if Christmas had come in early.

"That is-"  
"-a piece of a cake! Consider it-"  
"-done, my friend."

I snickered evilly. "Let's see how good you really are."

* * *

Christmas was approaching fast. I had promised to visit Malfoy over the holidays but the rest of my circle was unwilling to share me. Finally I had just ordered the blonde to invite them over to him for a few days after the actual feast.

The train ride was uneventful. On the station we were greeted by Narcissa Malfoy and I had to smirk at her sight. It was just like Malfoy (Sr) to not to show up here, thus showing his power. Clearly Draco was disappointed, he had expected his father to come.

Narcissa took us with her via apparation. We arrived in a richly decorated entrance hall that was clearly made to impress people. It didn't quite work on me, though. Draco didn't seem to mind, he had probably expected me to be cool about it. He gave me a tour through the house, including all the secret spots and passages he knew. I made sure I remembered them all.

Around dinner time the family head finally returned home. Draco greeted him happily but in front of me still made sure he kept his noble air.

"So this is our house guest for the next week", Lucius said, coming closer slowly. "Charles Potter, one of the boys-who-lived."  
"If you do not mind, Sir", I said a little coldly, "I do not like that nick name."

"You don't, do you?"  
"No. I do not like being referred to as a boy. In fact, my mental age probably exceeds yours."

Now every trace of fake politeness was gone from the Death Eaters gaze.

"Is that so. Now what would have forced you to grow up this fast?"  
I gave him an evil little smirk. "Now that would be telling."

"Enough", Narcissa said resolutely. "Dinner is being served and I don't want it to be wasted. Please follow me to the dining room."

"Of course, Ma'am", I said pleasantly.

Dinner was spent chatting about unimportant subjects that were less likely to drop a brick. The Malfoys seemed to try to make a good first impression. However they were clearly watching every move I made.

The next day was spent flying around the backyard, exploring the Malfoys private library and playing wizards chess. Lucius tried to approach me a few times to interrogate me in the most backhanded way of a Slytherin. Did I enjoy Hogwarts? How did the other students accept me? Was there any truth to the rumors about me being able to perform wandless magic? Was there any hostility between my brother and me?

It was a tough challenge of patience. I always answered as vague as possible, sometimes even giving conflicting answers as to confuse him and telling him basically nothing at all. It was clearly frustrating him.

The second day Severus Snape, Dracos godfather, visited and from there on we received daily lectures in potions in the evening. Since it was only the two of us we learned a lot faster.

I knew that continuing to avoid Malfoy could make an enemy out of them. So instead I chose to talk with the less dangerous Mrs Malfoy and Snape. Not about great things of course and nothing of me being Slytherin either. Half of the first years now believed that there was some truth to that story but they were not sure enough to tell their parents. However when the Malfoys 'pet snake' which was a two meters long highly poisonous magically serpent, 'accidentally' fled her cage I was pretty sure Draco had told them about me commanding the wooden snakes. I made sure to pet the snake and praise the Malfoys for choosing such a beautiful snake but I didn't talk to her. For one I was sure they wouldn't have done something like that if the snake was really deadly. And secondly before coming here I had brought a couple of bezoars and always carried one with me now.

Christmas arrived soon. Unsurprisingly I received lots of books from the Slytherins, the most interesting being from Nott (it was a book on parslemagic, Merlin knew where he got it from). Greengrass sent me an amulet that was meant to protect one from fire. Dead useful that damn thing. The Malfoys obviously wanted to show off their wealth and got me an own broom. Of course it had to be another Nimbus two thousand. The Slytherin Potter couldn't possibly be behind the Gryffindor one in any field. I took it with thanks. At least now I wouldn't have to 'borrow' a broom to get into the Chamber. From Harry I got something surprisingly practical – a leather wand holster. That was all. No invisibility cloak.

Now that wouldn't do.

"Would it be alright to borrow your owl?", I asked Draco neutrally at Christmas morning.

"Sure."

As soon as I was alone I wrote a short letter.

_Harry,_

_thanks for your present and merry Christmas._

_Are you enjoying holidays in Hogwarts? Things here are alright. I got a couple of really interesting things from my friends. Isn't it a weird feeling to get presents to Christmas? What did you get? It would be interesting to know since I'm not sure if what I gave my friends is appropriate. After all it's not like we know how to make gifts._

_Give my worst greetings to the ginger,_

_Charles._

Dracos eagle owl was sent off with the letter and we went to enjoy breakfast.

* * *

Since Lucius had noticed that I answered to his wife more then him he grudgingly left me alone with her a few times. At one of these chances I approached her to ask about a subject that had bothered me for some time when I saw her on the balcony.

"I'm sorry Ma'am", I said, "I cannot but notice that you were born as a Black, is that right?"  
"It is indeed", she replied politely. "I'm surprised that you know of it."  
"Well, not only was my grandmother a Black but also it seems my godfather is one as well."

"You godfather?", she asked scowling. "But there aren't any male Blacks left except for... oh!"  
"Yes, oh", I meant dryly. "Sirius Black was not able to take care of me. I bet he would have still been better then those disgusting muggles. May I ask how your relationship is to him?"

Narcissa shifted uncomfortably. "Sirius is my cousin. We haven't seen each other in a very long time of course. Even before he went to prison. May I ask how you know about him?"  
"I searched for a way to get rid of the muggles. It seemed there are some kind of blood wards around the house. Certain people wouldn't let me be adopted because of that so I figured if I found someone else with legal claim over me... But it seems I'm just not that lucky. However I'm curious about Black. What kind of person is he for my parents to have so much trust in him?"

"A trust that clearly wasn't well placed...", she said carefully.

"Obviously. You don't have to be so wary, I know all about the traitor."

She blinked surprised. "Well... No one would have thought that he would be able to do such a thing. He had distanced himself very early from our family and chose to converse with the Potters instead. Your father and him were friends from the very first Hogwarts year onwards."

"I know that. What I'd like to hear is your own opinion of him as a person."

"He was always... a very hot-tempered person. Childish at times and incredibly stubborn. He was opposing everything traditional, even going so far as to refuse to ever marry so his family wouldn't get an heir after his brother, may he rest in peace, passed away. He could not hold a serious conversation without insulting someone if his life depended on it. He chose to befriend half-breeds and muggleborns and blood traitors, all those persons our family looked down on just to spite us. He was an ungrateful, annoying brat that never learned about limits."

She had talked herself in a rage and her fingers grabbed the balustrade so firmly that they appeared white. Bitter and coldly she was starring outside.

"You miss him, don't you?", I whispered after some time.

She took a deep breath. "He was also always there for me when I was sad or in trouble. Almost like a brother. I have two other sisters... He despised Bella and Andromeda was too old for him to connect to, not to mention she moved out very early. But when we were children I was often together with him. Life for a woman is not easy in a traditional family. Today I wouldn't want it to be anything else but the road is sometimes very tough. He always... He always wanted to convince me to run away and start my own life. I didn't want that. I love my family, the Blacks as well as the one I have founded but at that time it was... nice to know there was an alternative. It made my decision to stay with my family more precious."

I had to chuckle at that. A flicker of hurt could be seen in her eyes so I hurried to explain:  
"It just reminded me... The muggles have a curious religion. They believe an almighty god is responsible for all the good and he is opposed to the devil responsible for all evil in the world. But since god is almighty that automatically means that he has the power to control the devil too. He could get rid of him at any time. So why doesn't he do it?"

She scowled harder. "Why is that?"  
"It's because the human has his free will. If heaven was all there was in the afterlife then which meaning would life have? The human needs the existence of the devil so that he can decide to be good. If that alternative wouldn't exist we'd all be nothing but empty dolls." I shrugged. "Of course, those muggles also think that witches in general are worshippers of the devil so, who cares."

She smiled slightly. "Are you comparing Sirius Black to the devil?"  
"I'm just saying that it is important there are different opinions and life styles in the world. Some may be wrong or better then others but it is important that we have the chance to decide which one is the right for us for ourselves. Otherwise we could never be truly happy. It is this belief that is the reason behind the four houses of Hogwarts."

"You are a very curious boy. I am... sorry for your burden."

I chuckled. "Most people begrudge me for it."  
"I do not think it is something to desire."  
"Well than it's good that I don't plan to carry my burden."  
"Excuse me?"  
"You heard me right. I plan to shift it all upon my brother. He's the perfect little Gryffindor. Let him do the dangerous, life-threatening stuff. I have more important things to do."

Having relied my message I turned around and left her alone. The Malfoys were of the most use for me as a messenger to Voldemort. I had to make him believe that I was no danger to him. I knew what he had in store for Harry. For myself I did not know how to predict any dangers.

* * *

After Christmas I finally had my appointment in Gringotts. I took the Malfoys on on their offer to accompany me but if they had thought I had interesting information for them they were disappointed. As soon as it was my turn I left them in the entrance hall while I followed a goblin into a small office.

"It states here", the goblin named Rimpeck said, skimming through a file, "that you came for an inheritance test."

"That's right. I want to be able to track my family tree as far as possible."

"We have a special method for that. It is usually performed in order to make a tapestry of some sorts. Do you have the material ready?"  
"I don't."  
"Than you may purchase one from the bank."  
"How much would it cost me?", I asked warily.

"380 galleons. Not negotiable."

"Does that already include the spell itself?"

"It does."  
"Then I'll take it but only if you give me a list of all material possessions left to me and everything else concerning my inheritance as fast as possible free of charge."

The goblin looked a bit sour but complied nonetheless.

The process was rather cliché. My blood was required to be put in a bowl together with a blood replenishing potion. A big tapestry around twelve feet long was then soaked in it and enchanted by the goblins while I was being sent to a waiting room.

The result was a great family tree with Harry and me on top. A thin line went to the name of Lily Potter, nee Evans but nothing beyond her. So much for a long line of squibs.

The Potter line however went back centuries. I skipped all the Prewetts and Blacks and Bones and who else and went straight to the bottom. And yes, there they were, Ignotius Peverell (12 July, 1214—18 May, 1291 )and his brothers. And two hundred years earlier there was Salazar Slytherin. Jackpot.

Now I could prove to everyone who asked that I was related by blood to Slytherin, thus explaining my parsletongue. Alright the relation was so distant that the Blacks and Malfoys and hell, probably even the Weasleys could claim it too, not to mention that I was related to Gryffindor too if you really wanted to trace it back. But that didn't matter. I was a boy who lived, no one would question it when a heavily diluted bloodline ability suddenly popped up again with me. As long as it had been there once in my family you could safely explain it that way.

I paid for the tapestry and received a report on all Potter-possessions in Gringotts. The trust vault Harry had visited earlier only held 15.000 galleons, the maximum it could for the 3% interest rate. Everything above that amount went into the family vault. The 15.000 were supposed to cover our needs until we reached maturity. Afterward we'd get our 50/50 share. There were no grand manors hidden or such things and the objects in the vault were limited to a few books and some jewelery, nothing too valuable. Since we couldn't touch the house until we reached 17 it had been declared a memorial, making it impossible to sell the estate. That was unfortunate, I was sure there were some freaks that would offer their soul up for it. We could name a far higher price if people were actually allowed to build on it. Still there was around a billion galleons left in the family vault, enough to live a few years and fund whatever kind of further magical education I wanted to have, if any at all.

"There's one more thing", I addressed the goblin when I was finished. "I'd like to know where I could find out if there are any house elves for sale."

"Of course. Copies of such announces are in the ministry but for a fee of 20 sickles I could give you a copy today."  
"Thank you, I'd like that."

The copy I got showed not only the family that owned an elf they wanted to sell but also its age and what it was best suited or trained for. House elves were very fast learners and had no trouble learning by themselves as long as they had enough time and opportunities. That's why I chose a relatively young elf. He was owned by the Masons, I name that didn't ring a bell with me.

Satisfied with the information gathered I shrunk the tapestry and made my way back to the Malfoys. As soon as I got there I wrote a letter to the Masons requesting information about their elf. Apparently he was very young, only 24 years old (which was really young for an elf since they could reach the 200) and only knew some basic cooking and of course cleaning. But that was fine with me.

I didn't want to tell the Malfoys any of this. But I had promised to meet my other minions anyway and while Nott and Zabini had planned to come for a visit Daphne could not. Apparently it was improper for her to visit the Malfoys when an arranged marriage would be formed between her sister and Draco. That's why I used her as my excuse to get a day off at Diagon Alley during which I scheduled the meeting with the Masons.

The elf was still unnamed and hadn't taken its vow since it had been tutored by his parents up until now. Therefore it had no connections to the Mason family who had a few financial problems and couldn't afford to keep all three elves any longer. That and his young age made for a good price.

Since it was funny and I figured it would piss off my pet snake I named the elf Notch. I sent him off to go to the Hogwarts kitchen to learn everything house elves needed to know until I called him. However he was to tell nobody about me, not even that I owned him only that his master was a Hogwarts student so they'd let him in.

* * *

A few days later Nott and Zabini visited for a new years party. Around the Malfoys it was a little bit stiffly but we had fun nonetheless. I also received a letter form Harry.

_Hi Charles,_

_Merry Christmas to you too and a Happy New Year!_

_Yes I did receive a curious gift. It was a magical cloak. I don't want to write about it here but if you're interested I could show you later. The card didn't name who sent it only that it belonged to Dad. I think it is great to have something from him. Did you receive something similar? My other presents were sweets and a sweater from Mrs Weasley and stuff._

_I hope you have fun with your friends. Although I still can't believe you really went with Malfoy of all people. Why are you even bothering with that git? You could have celebrated with us!_

_See you soon,_

_Harry._

Well, crap. I really did not need the invisibility cloak before seventh year although it would be an useful tool. I didn't care about it belonging to James Potter but the cloak was a Deathly Hallow. To a great part I believed it was the fact that Harry was the Master of Death when he faced Voldemort that saved his life and ensured his victory. That would not be the case this time around. In fact, I'd like that title for myself if possible. Not to defeat Voldemort but to ensure that I would life to see a wonderful alternate ending to this crappy story. It would make things so much more interesting.

I couldn't blame Dumbledore for giving the cloak to Harry instead of me. Sure, from an outside point of view he might be playing favorites, causing unnecessary hatred and jealously between us. But I for one welcomed it as a chance. Not only was it one more thing to accuse him of and a reason for the world why I disliked my brother. It was also perfect since I already had a plan how to get that cloak. Once I did nobody would know that I had it. Where was the point in being invisible if people knew of that ability? When they were ignorant I could get away with so much more.

The rest of the holidays I mused over that subject and faster then I though it was time to go back to school.


	13. The first Hallow

Somewhere in the back of my mind I still remembered that the Golden Trio had found out about Flamel shortly after Christmas. However it was only after the under five minutes Quidditch match against Hufflepuff that I was sure they knew. And even if they didn't, I remembered Snape mentioning it to Quirrell on their little stroll to the Forbidden Forest. I had seen Harry leaving right after the match on his broom and just wondered if I should follow him when a hand was laid on my shoulder.

I spun around and came face to face with a horror in neon blue and yellow. The man with the worst fashion style ever, the senile old puppet master with too many titles to count, Albus Dumbldedore.

"Charles Potter", he said, eyes twinkling. "I'm sorry to surprise you like this but would you have a second for an old mans worry?"

My occlumency was by now good enough that I could control perfectly what left the shields and what was kept secret. That was important since that way people who barely graced the surface to get my general mood now wouldn't get suspicious because they found nothing.

I looked down at the wrinkled old hand and pushed my disgust forward before smiling politely. "Of course, headmaster."

I could not be sure if he had read my surface thoughts but the hand left my shoulder when he took me to the stands where less people celebrated.

"I had simply wondered if your brother had told you about his little Christmas adventure", he said quietly.

"Christmas adventure?", I repeated. "I don't know what you mean, sir."  
"Over the holidays Harry came along a very dangerous magical artifact. It was a mirror that showed addicting images. I was able to convince him not to seek it out again but he has been looking very tired lately. I think he might have nightmares."

"He has told me no such thing."

"Ah well, I hope that means he has forgotten about it. I had hoped you could tell me if he is feeling better."  
"You should rather ask his friends about that."  
"Are you not his friend?"  
"I am his brother. A rival that he wants to surpass. We've never been very emotional with each other."  
"Is that not a sad thing? Just because you are in different houses-"  
"It has nothing to do with that", I blocked him. "I'm just a very secretive person and I don't like cry babies." It was not like Harry cried a lot. He almost never cried. In fact he always stood up when pushed down, no matter what. But that didn't stop him from being pathetic and surviving due to luck alone for two straight years at the very least.

"Harry has been making great progress but he's nowhere near the point where I want to have him around me constantly. I don't want to share my innermost thoughts with him, which is the only way to gain his friendship, and I don't want to know _his _either when I'm not asking for it. And with all due respect, Sir, you telling me something this personal about him is neither what I not what he wishes for."

Dumbldedore looked at me sadly. I wished I could throttle him here and now.

"Very well. I am sorry that I have interfered in your and your brothers business."  
I nodded. The headmaster seemed about to leave when I called him back.

"One last thing", I called him back. "I visited Gringotts over the holidays and found out that there are still a couple of old family heirlooms in a vault. Are there any rules how to share those between twins? We might get trouble with unique things like the house."  
"I'm surprised you would give it any though so early", the old man said, eyes twinkling. "The house will either be sold and the money shared or one brother would buy it for half the prize from the other. Normally heirlooms would be given to the older brother. That's how it works with inheritance."  
I blinked. "Well then, who would receive them then?"  
"Ah, but that is the difficult part. One of you was born on July 31th in the very middle of the night, the other just a few minutes behind... It was a busy night and no one really checked the time, the other twin may very well be born on 1th August, actually."  
I felt excitement fill my stomach. Did that mean... Did that mean the prophecy didn't apply to me?

"But there is a problem. When your family was attacked your house was destroyed, as was the cradle you were in that had your names on it. When Hagrid saved you from that place he had no time to bother which one of you was which. Your relatives wouldn't have a means to know either. For all we know they might have renamed you. As such today there is no means to determine which one of you is the older brother. Spells that determine the age of a wizard are too vague to be bothered with mere minutes. Personally I'd find it quite unjust to favor one twin because of a few minutes anyway. You'll have to share any leftover heirlooms equally."

I wanted to bang my head against the next wall. Really, really hard.

They did not know who of us was the older brother!? What the hell?!

Of course I was sure that I was really Charles, but that was only because I knew I was not Harry. Now that I though about it Dumbldedore was right; the Dursleys almost never called us by our names when we were young. We were just boy, freak, or you there. If I hadn't known that I was Charles and thus called my brother by his name we'd probably be confused as to which one of us was which ourselves.

Hell, this was such a mess.

Dumbldedore seemed to sense my fury because he made a tactical retreat.

"Of course such things do not matter to you anymore. You're Charles and your brother is Harry and nobody will ever be able to change that anymore. Since you have accepted those as your names even magical means would only show them as yours, regardless of what you might have been called originally. If you still wish to have a connection to your parents but cannot access the heirlooms... Maybe you should ask Hagrid. He knows a lot of old friends of your parents."

I couldn't hold back a snort. "Yeah, right. Do me the favor and do not try to help me. If I want something from my parents I'd just ask Snape. He mentioned that he knew my mum."

Dumbldedore seemed to be really surprised. "He did?"

"Briefly. Now if you'll excuse me, I think I will do just that."  
"Of course, my boy. Have a nice day."

Turning around I whispered just loud enough for him to hear: "I am _not _your boy. And I will never be."

* * *

Exams were coming closer and everyone began to study hard. Snape was even more persistent then ever in his lessons, both normal and private ones. During Outtakes we now had less time to discuss pure-blood customs and worked on homework instead. We had already covered the subjects religion, holidays, sport and communication. The afternoon we spent dueling and a couple of upper years including the Weasley twins (who had yet to rid Quirrell of his turban) had joined in. Hermione made revision timetables for everyone who wanted to have one and even gave out copies of her history notes freely. I went down to the Chamber of Secrets once to chat with the basilisk again. Since I was pretending to be his 'brother' I had to keep him up to date on Voldemort. I told him that he had infiltrated the school but that I already had a plan to get rid of him. Again I repeated my orders for second year, making sure he did not forget about it.

During the little free time I had I began researching the tasks awaiting in the forbidden corridor. Mainly the potions. I didn't want to count on the smallest bottle being the one to bring me further or the riddle and I didn't know which bottle would bring one back. That's why I researched potions that could make one fireproof as well as magical fires. Fortunately from most of them I would be protected by the amulet I got for Christmas. I also practiced fire charms a lot, a simple spell to animate little objects and make them sing an even simpler song (usually performed on get-well-soon cards) and the _immobilus_.

* * *

One day then a very excited Draco came to me with the news of Hagrid the gamekeeper hatching a dragon in his hut. It was time to get my plan into motion.

I ordered Draco to keep an eye on it but told him not to alert any teachers. Sure enough one week later he brought me a book he had 'borrowed' from ginger who was in the hospital wing with a nasty dragon bite.

"Saturday night", I whispered, scanning the sheet of paper. "Yes, I've been waiting for this. Well done, Draco."

If Draco were a dog he'd wag his tail.

It was amusing watching my brother and ginger being so nervous the rest of the week. I had ordered Draco to stay away from the astronomy tower but to tip off Filch that the duo planned a little midnight stroll.

After dinner I went straight to the tower, having commanded Nott to provide me with an alibi. I didn't go right to the top but stayed in an empty classroom. Being able to change the color of both my clothes and eyes all I had to do was making my face a little dirty and I could melt into the shadows as if I was under a disillusionment charm. Then I pulled out a book and waited.

Ten minutes before midnight I heard steps for the first time and quickly made an effort to hide my book and curl in the darkest corner of the room. Flich opened the door, looked around it sternly for a moment but left without seeing me. I thanked the wizard gods (if such a thing existed) that Mrs Norris wasn't with him.

I relaxed and waited in silence once more. Again I heard steps, a lot more silent this time but mixed with weird animal sounds. Another half an hour passed before they returned, this time not caring to be very silent. Harry and Dean (apparently you needed at least two people to carry a dragon and Ron was still in the hospital wing) were talking freely about how relieved they were that they got rid of Norbert. Until they met Flich that is.

I waited a few minutes until the caretaker was done with his boasting about the kind of tortures they'd have to suffer for detention and three pairs of feet went down the tower. Then I slipped out of my hiding place and made my way upstairs. And sure enough, there forgotten on the cold stone floor was the invisibility cloak. My stupid little brother had forgotten it here. Oh yes, this night he had lost a lot more then just a few house points. And while he got to get his first trip into the forbidden forest as detention, I got the first Deathly Hollow. If that wasn't a successful night.


	14. Through the trapdoor

He, we're almost there! Here it is, the Annual July Battle Good versus Evil (part one)!

Enjoy!

* * *

Losing one hundred and fifty points for Gryffindor (Neville had been caught out of bed too because he had wanted to warn him about Malfoy) lead to Harrys reputation dropping quite a bit. He was utterly depressed of course. However his vanished social standing bothered him in a way that made him forget about the cloak altogether, which was good. That's why I made no effort to comfort him but I didn't cheer on him like the other Slytherins did either. Truth to be told I didn't really care about house points or the house cup. It wasn't like it meant anything at all. I told my brother so but he didn't seem to listen. Dean Thomas too was angry at him now for being pulled into this mess. In the end Harry withdrew from the Outtakes in order to not to have to see him around. Ron was the only one who stuck to him. I couldn't really decide if that isolation was good because the less power my brother had the more I would get in the long run, or if it was bad because that way Harry would end up being even more pathetic then canon.

In the end I just decided to make the best out of it, which was the chance to get Neville Longbottom on my side.

McGonogall had thought that Harry and Ron had been feeding Malfoys lies in order to get him into trouble. The blonde however had not taken their bait (thanks to me) and instead contacted Filch, who had contacted her. Since Neville had overheard Malfoy boasting about Potter getting into trouble for having a dragon he had wanted to warn him. Now McGonogall thought he had been feeding him the same lie simply because it was funny. Since he couldn't tell her the truth Neville had to believe that lie and was very hurt and disappointed.

Before that happened Neville had not only been incredibly shy but he had also admired Harry, wanting to be just like him. Since we had covered all important subjects in the Outtakes those classes were now spent doing homework. The next time Neville scored highest in his herbology essay I invited him to the meetings to help the other students with it. Still his biggest problem was self-conscience. Luckily I knew a way to get rid of that and made an effort to invite him to meet me during summer holidays. Neville looked as if he'd faint from shock. He probably had never had any friends that would invite him.

After his detention Harry got a lot more nervous. He was looking over his shoulder constantly, likely expecting Voldemort himself to turn up behind him. That was why it didn't come as a surprise when one evening while everyone was learning for the exams he sat down next to me.

"Hi Charles", he said dully, looking around nervously.

"Hello dear brother. If you came to know what will be covered during the exams, you know that I expect-"  
"It's not about the exams", he interrupted me. "Wait, do you know what we'll have to do?"  
"For a few subjects, I do", I said vaguely. In fact I had motivated my most devoted minions (Nott, Zabini, Hermione and Lisa Turpin) to learn the pineapple tap-dance, the mouse-to-snuffbox- transfiguration and the forgetfulness potion.

"It's about what's behind that trap door", Harry explained. "Do you remember?"

"You're still trying to solve the riddle?", I snorted. "Take my advice and leave it alone."  
"But I know that Snape's trying to steal it! And not only that, he's trying to steal it for Voldemort! He wants to bring him back to life. If he succeeds we'll both be dead by the end of the year, don't you care about that?"

I sighed and closed my book. "Harry, I know exactly how this year ends and it's not with our death. Snape isn't the one trying to steal the stone and even if he were he wouldn't be able to get past all the protections."  
Harry stared at me. "I never said something about a stone."

"You didn't have to. I knew about it way before you did. The fact that I haven't done anything about it should tell you that everything will turn out alright. Now if you don't mind, I have research to do."

Harry left angry at me and the world but I couldn't care less. I knew him well enough to know that he wouldn't listen to me. That was alright with me. I loved to rub their mistakes into peoples faces.

On the day of our last exams (History) I knew it was time. Time for the showdown, the annual July Battle of Good versus Evil. All my preparations had been made. Well, almost all.

I had thought a lot about which one of my minions to give this special mission. I had already used Hermione once and I feared the Slytherins were less likely to be believed. So my choice fell onto Lisa Turpin, the shy little girl that thanks to me was now more popular then she had ever dreamed of being. She was only of average intellect, had no special connections being a muggleborn but she had two big advantages. One was that she had developed something like a crush on me that was surprisingly independent of what I did. In fact I had showed her my more devious side once just to see her reaction. She seemed to have absolutely no problem with it.

The second thing was that she was such a wallflower that no one would ever assume she was up to anything even remotely bad. That was why on the last day of the exams I gave her a letter and an enchanted coin that Hermione had prepared in weeks of study and hard work. I told her to always keep the coin in her hand the entire evening and once it warmed up she should open the letter and follow the instructions inside. The letter read:

* * *

_Do not question, do not doubt. Tell no one._

_Once the coin heats up you are to go to the closest teacher's office and tell him or her the following:_

_The day before you overheard a conversation between Jade and Raven in which the former expressed his desire to invade the forbidden third corridor. Raven was not able to convince him otherwise and later mentioned to you that if Jade went through with his plan he would go and try to stop him. You have not seen either of them since then and now you're being kept awake because you worry if they might be in danger. At night you even woke up from a nightmare about them and decided to be better safe then sorry and alert a teacher._

_Destroy this letter upon reading it._

* * *

Jade and Raven were the code names I used for Harry and myself whenever I gave out write commands. Obviously it was Jade for our green eyes and Raven for the raven black hair. All of my more important minions had at least one nickname. Sometimes I even made up new completely out of the blue but just like with ours it was easy to guess who was meant from the names and circumstances.

I did plan to be the first in the final chamber but just in case my plan for dealing with Quirrellmort didn't work out I had to play for time and hope that Lisa would get reinforcements.

Back in the common room I had to do one more thing.

"Richard, do you have a second?", I addressed the Bloody Baron, making sure no one was nearby.

The ghost nearly toppled over in shock when I addressed him by his first name. I suppose no one else knew it around here. However when he recognized me his gaze became wary.

"What do you need?", he asked stiffly.

"I have some business tonight in the third corridor", I said casually. "It would be a shame if Peeves messed up my plans. Could you keep him away from that place tonight?"

"The third corridor?", the baron said suspiciously. "What business would you have there? There's nothing in there you'd need."

"It's less about _what _is down there but _who", _I answered smirking. "Also if you could arrange a... let's say _accident _to happen to Mrs Norris I would be very... no, I don't think I'd ever be grateful, but it's possible that I'd be less pissed at you." Besides the off-handed remark my eyes were cold and my glare became just a touch threatening.

The baron was clearly confused and felt driven into a corner. He didn't really believe that I was Slytherin reborn but there were so many clues, so much I knew that no one was supposed to know and as he'd said I was a lot like his former teacher. He just wasn't sure of his position anymore and so he was better safe then sorry. After all he was a Slytherin.

"I will make sure the poltergeist doesn't bother you", he said strained.

"Excellent. This will, of course, remain between the two of us."

The ghost nodded curtly.

I didn't really have to worry about Peeves or Mrs Norris but I knew that Harry would encounter them and without his cloak he might not make it to the trapdoor.

With that being taken care of too all I had to do was wait.

It was not long after the common room was emptied that my spy returned. The Black Mamba I was now well acquainted with had watched the entrance of the Gryffindor common room. Because the group had to be really careful not to be caught she had enough time to come back to me and report.

I had already sent all my minions to bed. Now I grabbed the invisibility cloak and my bag and made my own way to the third corridor.

When I opened the door I already heard Fluffy pacing. Hurriedly I pulled an piece of paper out of my bag and tipped it with my wand. Immediately it started singing a simple children's song, a spell meant for get-well-soon-carts. I threw the paper into the room and closed the door again.

I waited until I heard a loud _thrump, _indicating that Fluffy had fallen to the ground sleeping. Sure enough the great beast was snoring loudly.

Next I opened the trap door and pulled out and reversed the shrinking charm on my broom.

"_Lacarnum Inflamarae_", I murmured and sent a small fireball down the hole.

Of course it was not nearly enough, if at all the Devils Snare only got angry at me. Tendrils were flaring in the air trying to catch me but I was still far to high.

I continued to sent small fireballs down. Luckily it was already rather damaged so I didn't spent too much time.

After that it was easy to just land under the plant and get to the next room.

It was the one with the keys. Now I wasn't a master seeker like my brother but first I had a Nimbus two thousand which was far better then the school brooms in the chamber. And secondly the big silver key for the hole was so battered and crumpled being already caught twice that it didn't cost me nearly as much time as I would have thought to get it, even if _accio _and _immobilus _didn't work this time.

When the next chamber lit with light I could make out the black and white chess board. But this time I was not alone.

"Neville?!", I called incredulously, seeing the young boy crying next to a figure on the ground.

"Ch-Charles?", he asked, wiping away a few tears. "W-What are you doing here?"  
"I could ask you the same question! What the hell were you thinking, going with the lot? I thought you smarter then that." Quickly I came closer and checked Ron Weasley for a pulse. It was still there. Damn.

"I-I saw Harry and Ron but it was l-late and I didn't want them to go but th-they wouldn't listen and..."  
"Alright, you don't have to say anything else", I sighed. Of course, I had completely forgotten about Neville trying to stop the Golden Trio from breaking any more rules. Now Hermione hadn't been there to petrify him and since neither boy knew how to handle these things but had decided to come here no matter the consequences they had to drag him along. Now that explained why I hadn't found their tangled dead bodies in the Devils Snare as I had half expected. Aside from Hermione Neville was probably the only student who knew how to get past a Devils Snare.

"I heard that Harry was up to something really stupid down here so I came to stop him", I explained. "Is he already past the chess game?"

"Y-Yeah... but Ron..."  
"He'll be fine", I said with a sneer. "Try to get him to the hospital wing or something."  
"B-But what about you?"

"Well, I'll just stay here, killing some time... maybe playing a game of chess. You know, that sort of thing."

Neville bit his lip. "Please... Please try to save him, will you? He says You-know-who will be there and... and I'm really scared. Please bring him back before he can move any further."

I raised an eyebrow. "You don't want me to stop Moldyshorts from rising again?"

He gave me a weak smile. "How could I ever ask something like that from you... from anybody? I would have prevented him from coming at all but... I was too weak."  
"Yes, well, we'll have to do something about that. But not today. Shush, now go out of my way."  
Neville had his trouble with Ron while I took the place of a knight and started the game. I had thought about being the king but in case I lost then I would definitely be knocked out and I'd rather avoid that.

The game was tough. I had practiced a lot with my fellow Slytherins and I wasn't bad. I had a strategists mind after all and I was not above making sacrifices. Still I needed a lot of time.

When I finally won Neville was gone. I went through the next door, activating the enchanted coin as I went. Up in her common room Lisa would now wake up, pretend have been worried about me the whole night knowing what I was up to and just now deciding to alert a teacher.

The troll luckily was still knocked out or dead, I didn't really care. It was when I stepped through the next door that I was lucky. The purple fire was still burning brightly, blocking the way to the potions chamber. That meant that Harry was still trapped inside it, possibly with no way to figure out the poem.

I stepped forward to the fire. I considered it's color, the shape of the flames, the warmth it emitted and compared it to all the magical fires I had read about in preparation. Yes, it was Bengal firework, the magical version. Now that fire was only different from the normal one in that it burned longer and hotter then the normal one without the need to be fed. And best of all, my amulet protected me against it.

Stepping right through the flames I found myself in the small chamber. The table with the bottles was on the right side and on the left Harry sat on the ground, clutching the piece of parchment in his sweating hands and despairing over the simple challenge that was more mathematics then anything else.

His eyes flew up when he saw me entering and his jaw dropped.

"_Charles!? _What – What are _you _doing here?!"

"Saving your bloody ass, idiot", I sneered. "What the hell were you thinking coming down here on your own?"

"Look who's talking!"

"That's different. I knew exactly what was down here and how to defeat the enchantments since I saw you coming before. I tried to talk you out of it but _no, _you won't ever listen to me!"

"I didn't have any choice! Snape wants to steal the stone to bring back Voldemort and he's doing it _now _because Dumbldedore isn't at Hogwarts!"

"And have you ever thought that maybe that was the point of the whole thing?!"

Harry scowled. "What do you mean?"

I face-palmed. "Idiot! How great could these enchantments possibly be if a couple of bloody first years can overcome them all in less then an hour without even being caught? Either Dumbldedore is incredibly stupid or this is a trap set up by him to catch whoever is after the stone. Which is still irresponsible as he's endangering the students but who'd dare to question the greatest wizard on earth? By coming here you not only endangered yourself but also you might screw up his plan, helping Voldemort to escape. Is that what you want?"

Now Harry was openly gaping at me. "You... You think they want to catch him? I mean, is that what you've _seen?"_

"That's only common sense, goddamn!"

"But that means you haven't seen it. I can't take the risk of Voldemort returning."

Sure, I could have just lied to him. But I wanted him to go further. I wanted him to not to listen to me. Even if it was just so that I could say 'I've told you so' afterwards. That and the bigger the scandal the more material I had against Dumbledore later on.

"I'm going ahead!", Harry decided. "You can stay here if you want or... or go and get a teacher or something. Although Neville and Ron should be on their way now. Have you seen them?"  
"Yeah, they're gone. Now don't change the subject. Voldemort is incredibly dangerous and we-"  
"I don't care about that! I don't want to sit around and wait. He killed our parents!"  
"So it's revenge you want?", I asked coldly. "Really? For people you never ever knew?"  
"They were our parents", he whispered.

"They didn't care for us."  
"Of course they did", he said stubbornly.  
"They left us alone!", I replied, now raising my voice.  
"Because _he _murdered them!"  
"With the bloody _Dursleys, _Harry! Any self-respecting parent with those relatives would have at least assigned us a godfather and godmother or name a new guardian in their last will. It was war, it's not as if they didn't know they were going to d-"  
SMACK!

I saw the slap coming, hell I had been provoking it but it still hurt. My head flew to the side and for a moment I just stared at the cold stone wall while Harry was breathing heavily. Maybe he was shocked at what he'd done, maybe he tried to calm himself.

Finally I looked at him again with cold eyes.

"Are you finished now?", I asked harshly.

He gulped. "I'm still going through that door", he said determined.

I sneered and had no trouble to lace my voice with real disgust. "Very well. If you want yourself get killed, go on. Maybe I was wrong after all. Maybe you're not worth the effort."

I took a look at the table and grabbed the smallest bottle. I shoved it into my brothers arms, not hiding my contempt. "Farewell, brother."

Then I marched right back through the purple flames.

* * *

A/N: Confused? Don't worry, Charles won't just walk away. But the hero always comes in the last few seconds, right?

The next chapter still needs some editing that it will be up to.

Raelyn: I'm writing this for fun and although I try my best language is secondary for me. Therefore I'm not actively searching for a beta. However if one of my dear readers thinks he has the time you are invited to beta my chapters.


	15. The Annual June Battle

_I took a look at the table and grabbed the smallest bottle. I shoved it into my brothers arms, not hiding my contempt. "Farewell, brother."_

_Then I marched right back through the purple flames._

* * *

I waited exactly three minutes. In fact, I was counting them down. Then I stepped back through the purple fire.

While Bengal fireworks didn't harm me, Hades flames did. They were a weaker form of fiendfire that could be controlled far better but was just as deadly. My amulet wasn't enough to get me past it. However I had researched the ice potion that was used to get past it. You only needed a single drop to resist five seconds of fire, meaning it would be enough to get me through the wall. Harry had drunk the entire content left of the potion but you never did get everything out. So all I had to do was solving the little riddle which was nothing else then an equation to find out where the wine was. Then I poured some of it into the ice potion bottle and drank it. As soon as I felt the chill I stepped through the black fire.

Moldyshorts still liked to hear his own voice or maybe he had waited for me but he was still there, his ugly face exposed on the back of Quirrells head while Harry was standing in front of the mirror. It seemed he had already gotten the stone. It was time for my entrance.

"Don't be a fool", I heard a voice snarling as black flames engulfed me. "Better save your own life and join me... or you'll meet the same end as your parents... They died begging me for mercy..."  
"LIER!", Harry shouted, taking another step back in my direction.

"Actually", I announced my presence, now stepping fully into view, "he's right. At least concerning Lily Potter. She did indeed die begging for mercy."

"Charles! What... What are you saying?"  
"Of course", I continued, ignoring his words, "being the light witch she was she was not begging for her life... but for that of her sons." I had now reached Harry and took his hand as if to comfort him.

Slowly Voldemorts red eyes turned to me.

"Ah, the other twin arrived. Did you come to safe your brother?"

I turned to Quirrelmort. "Long time no see", was all I said.

"It was a mistake coming here tonight, Harry. You're not ready for this." In one smooth movement I stuck my other hand in his pocket while still talking and pulled out the red stone. Harry made a movement as if to keep me from it but he was to slow. I had the element of surprise, his trust and his hand in mine. That's why he just kept staring at me when I hold up the stone to let it catch the light.

"Be silent and trust me", I whispered into his ear, before taking a step away from him. Still I kept talking for no other purpose then to distract him and Voldemort while I built distance between me and both of them.

"This stone... It's said to produce the elixir of life. Once you drink it you won't die, at the very least not from diseases or age. However the effect vanishes once the elixir leaves your system. You'd have to drink it every day in order to not to die. I can't imagine that's the kind of immortality you want. I'm curious, if you indeed manage to get yourself a body, what would you do with it afterwards?"

Voldemort was watching me warily.

"I might tell you, boy – if you give it to me."

I threw the stone into the air and caught it again. Not for one second was I showing panic or fear or even insecurity. He is just a fictional villian, was what I told myself again and again. Also my occlumency shields were stronger then ever, he couldn't read my mind. It was confusing Voldemort, that much was clear.

"Now that would be too easy. I happen to have use for it myself. Who's to say you'll give it back when you're done?"

"What use would you have for such a stone? You are young and not exactly poor either." Voldemort had recognized what I was doing. I was negotiating like a Slytherin. Normally he might just take what he wanted to but his curiosity got the better of him. That and what he'd seen of me might provide an actual temptation to recruit me.

Harry was just confused but slowly got angry too.

"Charles, what are you saying? You can't give him the stone!"  
"Be silent, idiot. Kids should stay quiet when adults talk." I turned to Voldemort again.

"My problem is actually not so much different from yours", I claimed. "But I think now that I have it, why don't I have the first go? I can still give it to you later."  
"Enough of this! Give me the stone or die like your parents!"  
"_My _parents?" I laughed. "I never cared about my parents – and neither did you. _Lord Voldemort, _you think there are only six but you're wrong...", I whispered.

Now I had his attention.

"What are you talking about?", he hissed furiously.

"Oh, you know exactly what I'm talking about", I said. Slowly I lifted my fringe, exposing my scar. "There are _seven _of them, Voldemort. And you... you are the eight. You are _mine!"_

A look of confusion crossed his face, followed by realization, shock, for a split second I even thought I saw a glint of fear before he banned all emotion from his face.

"The boy?", he asked coldly.

I shook my head. "Never had a chance."

I put the stone into my pocket and slowly walked towards Quirrellmortd. Chuckling I began to round him once, gracing Quirrells face with my bare finger and drawing a single line of burned flesh across it. It was not just to unsettle him but to test if the protection was valid for me too, something my plan depended on. Quirrell whimpered and wanted to grab me but Voldemort screamed: "NO! Don't touch him!"

Now I laughed again and it was a typical maniacal villains laugh.

"Don't be so scared, Voldemort! I'm not your enemy. I know what you're thinking; the world is not big enough for two of us and clearly I have all the advantages... But personally I don't see us that way. We are like ying and yang, like two sides of the same coin... Why can't we just share the world? Ireland sounds rather interesting to me if you're so set on Great Britain..."

Voldemort relaxed just a little bit. It seemed I had him at least partly convinced. I couldn't tell if he believed me to be who I pretended to be – namely himself, or rather, a horcrux of himself who'd taken over Charles Potter – but at least he seemed to believe that I wanted to work together with him.

"That does sound like an idea one could think about", he said. "But first you'll have to give me the stone."  
"I already told you, it doesn't work that way. I will be the first."  
"No", he decided "you're of far more use to me here at Hogwarts."

I hissed at him angrily, deliberately using parsletongue this time, causing his eyes to widen in surprise. "I'm not your spy! I'm not one of your Death Eaters! I'll be your equal or I'll destroy you!"

"You're talking about insurances but how am _I _to know that you won't betray me?"

"Fool! Betraying you would mean betraying myself. I've already worked together with others, you're the one who has to accept that you're no longer alone."

Voldemorts eyes narrowed to slits.

"You expect me to walk away from this place without the stone? After all the trouble I've had? And next thing you're probably asking me to spare your _brother_, will you?", he snarled.

I snarled right back. "The only reason I'd ever do that would be so I can kill him myself. Although we should really wait until the moment is right. A couple of students are already on their way to get Dumbldedore. He could be here any moment. There's no way you're making it out of this castle without encountering him and without your servant you can't transport the stone anyway. Leave him here. I'll alter the boys memory and make him believe he won some kind of battle in which the mirror and thus the stone got destroyed. Potter will tell them this little story and distract them from their search for you. That way I can get away without anyone the wiser. Once I'm done with the stone I'll hide it at the manor for you."

"We don't need the boy to tell them, they'll just have to assume it. I want to kill him now."

Now I was the one narrowing my eyes. "Haven't I made myself clear? _I _want to be the one who kills him. During all that time miming the caring brother the one thing that kept me from vomiting was thinking about all the ways I'd hurt him when the time was right. But it's not yet. Think about it, Voldemort... You're leading war against the wizarding world and they all look upon their two saviors. Then when I'm revealing myself to stand by your side they will be devastated. Still they'll look for the other twin. But he, who can't do anything but see a brother in me won't be able to kill me. When I finally strike him the world will have lost its hope twice shortly after one another. It will vanish all left over resistance and moral. But the blow will be stronger the more hope they set onto us. Potter is absolutely average, has no important friends and doesn't even receive special training from Dumbldedore to be prepared to fight you. He's absolutely no danger to us and he won't be for years to come... We've waited for this long, we can wait another few month..."

I saw that I already had him. This was the moment where it was decided. Slowly I drew my wand.

"You can see it, don't you? How my plan will work out. Now all that's left to do... Is to provide a proper battle scene for Potter to remember." I held my wand high, bowing just low enough to show my respect.

Voldemort understood. He didn't want to leave without the stone but my plan _was _rather good. This duel would bring the decision. If he defeated me he would kill Harry, take the stone and make an escape. If I defeated him I'd kill Quirrell and drive him away but once we met again he'd still think about giving me a chance. That really depended on whenever or not he could make sure I was a horcrux.

Harry had gone back to the door but the ice potion had lost its effect and he couldn't pass the black flames. Meanwhile Quirrellmort turned around so I was facing the teacher again. That moment that they needed to settle into a battle stance I used to fire of a reductor-curse. Quirrell put up a shield but the curse wasn't aimed at him anyway. It was aimed at the ground right in front of him. The earth shook as the explosion hit it and Quirrell was thrown off balance. I knew that once he managed to cast even a single curse it would be over for me. Even with all the training I'd done and all the books I'd read I was still a first year. It wasn't Voldemort I was dueling, but I was sure even Quirrell was a tough opponent once he dropped the idiot act.

Voldemort was cursing his servant when he fell to the ground but I didn't even stop to see if my spell had done any damage. In a matter of seconds I crossed the distance between us and pinned him down muggle style. I was neither strong nor did I weigh much but when I laid my hands around Quirrells throat that didn't matter. He was screaming bloody murder as my skin touched his. Voldemorts face was being pushed into the dirt (a sigh that gave me incredible satisfaction) so he couldn't see me. The man flared his arms and did his best to push me off but his movements were uncontrolled and he couldn't see me once I destroyes his eyes. Now another voice was screaming and it sounded like Harry but I couldn't be sure. While I watched Quirrell burn under my hands for the first time my scar began to tickle. The tickle became a sting and I knew if it wasn't for my occlumency shields I would be rolling in pain now just like Harry was.

Finally it was over. A black fog emerged from Quirrells head and I stood up hurriedly before it could pass through me. With a last horrible scream Voldemort was gone.

I was alone in the chamber.

Slowly my gaze went from the unmoving figure of Quirrell whose head had been replaced by a bloody mass of goo from all the exploded blisters to the equally unmoving figure of my brother who had passed out due to the pain in his scar.

Maybe it was the adrenaline or maybe I'd gone into shock over killing a person. Maybe it was my occlumency or maybe I was just going crazy and becoming a megalomaniac myself. Either way I felt strangely empty looking at either of them.

Once again I checked if the stone was still inside of my pocket. It was.

I had little time left so I went over to the Mirror of Erised. At first I just wanted to punch it but then curiosity got the better of me. I stepped in front of it.

It was a strange sight to say the least. I didn't know what I had been expecting. Maybe myself back in my home world with my family and no Harry Potter anywhere to be seen. But I had to admit that I hadn't missed them really much. My life had been ordinary and boring. While my new one was dangerous here I was powerful. Here I could change the entire world and I _did _enjoy showing my superiority especially to those HP-characters.

Maybe I had expected to see myself as the hero of this world with everyone worshipping me? No, defiantly not. I was more the anti-hero typ. Those people were pathetic, if they'd lick my boots I'd be disgusted. For the same reason I couldn't see myself as the next dark Lord ruling over the world, although sometimes that was an entertaining though. I never had much for family so founding one wasn't a priority.

When I looked into the mirror I saw myself sitting on the ground in a white hall and all around me were sitting young girls and boys listing to a speech I gave but couldn't hear. They all looked different so we couldn't be related but there was something familiar about them. That one boy looked like a young Tom Riddle. The one next to him wore a helmet that reminded me of Darth Vader and in one of the back rows I saw a boy who resembled a young Eric Lehnsherr, better known as Magneto. I saw myself teaching future villains.

Now if that wasn't strange.

I had to chuckle at the scene that would never take place. I suppose it did make some sort of sense. People always though the villain stupid that was gloating to the hero about how badass he was before he killed him, giving said hero a chance to escape. But having schemed against heroes for a whole year now I could understand them. I didn't manipulate and steal and threaten just so that I could have followers or even the stone. I did it in order to belittle the HP-characters, to show them how utterly insignificant, stupid or weak they were. If they ever defeated me because of my own gloating than that would be fine with me because they'd have proved to have a moderate amount of intelligence. Conquering the world, defeating these wizards would mean absolutely nothing to me if I couldn't gloat about it. But even if I did that I'd have to kill my audience afterwards. Since I had no interest in paperwork (which ruling a country tended to bring with it) my life would be just boring after that. Being able to gain praise and admiration from other strong people who were just as intelligent and powerful as me did indeed sound very appealing. But of course, unless I really hooked up with ugly-face Voldemort I wouldn't ever get a chance to experience that.

Without remorse I gave the mirror a good kick and the image shattered into a dozen pieces.

I threw the stone into the air to caught it again.

"Notch", I called louldy.

With a 'pop' Notch the house elf appeared in front of me.

"Master Charles has called Notch?", the tiny elf asked happily. In fact that was the first time I had called him since I brought him. Maybe he feared that he wasn't doing things the way I wanted, that this was why I had not given him any orders yet. The truth however was that I found it an incredible waste of resources to use elves as servants. The sole reason for buying Notch had been so he could make deliveries or bring me out of a dangerous situation because he could pass wards. Such as the ones from Hogwarts. That was why I could afford to bring such an inexperienced elf in the first place. Of course if my lack of commands made the little thing even more eager to please me that was alright with me.

"Notch, I want you to take these items and store them in my trunk. The password this week is 'cardiac arrest'. You'll never ever give anyone any information or hints about this command or what you've seen here today."

Notch, who had been looking around with wide eyes let out a squeal.

"Do you understand me?", I asked him sharply when he was looking at Quirrells corpse instead of me.  
"Y-Yes master", he whispered.

I gave him the red stone, my once again shrunken broom and the silvery cloak that I had been hiding under my robes and with another 'pop' he was gone.

Quietly I went towards Harry.

"Confundus", I whispered, followed by "Masquerus."

I wouldn't erase the whole conversation from Harrys mind but he should still trust me without being able to tell the details to Dumbldedore. I'd make the conversation fussy which could be explained as a consequence of trauma. The second spell was one that masked minor spells to fool any diagnostic spells Pomfrey would use. Hopefully they wouldn't dare to mess with him any further then that.

Now there was only one thing to do. I went over to one of the biggest shards of the mirror I could find and drew my wand.

"Stupor", I whispered.

The red light was being reflected by the glass and I knew no more.


	16. Choosing a path

I woke up in the hospital wing. Harry laid in a bed next to me and it seemed over there at the entrance Ron was just being released. It was already morning, which made me wondering if people had just needed a lot more time to get to us or if they purposely wanted to restrain me to keep me from fleeing the hospital wing. I couldn't imagine that waking up stupefied people took so long. Then again maybe they weren't sure what was the cause of my blackout and wanted to run all kinds of diagnostic spells on me. I certainly wouldn't put it past Pomfrey.

Said nurse had just noticed me waking up and came scurrying towards me.

"Well, well, well, how are we feeling Mr Potter?", she asked in a kind but strict voice,

I felt perfectly fine but I suppose after fighting Quirrellmort most people didn't so I faked a groan and sank back into the pillows.

"Do you want an honest answer for that?"  
"Of course", she bristled.

"I feel like I was chased around by a crazy werewolf for at least half a day, drained of happy memories and possibly body fluids by a dementor before being subjected to a mind rape that felt like being crucified using Tsukoyomi. By the way, you don't happen to have a nice sharp kitchen knife laying around somewhere? I'm feeling kind of suicidal today. Or maybe homicidal, I'm not sure yet."

She stared at me.

"What is it? You said honest."

Behind her back I saw a familiar figure wearing robes with horrifying clashing colors approach.

"Well, at least he hasn't lost his humor", Albus Dumbledore said smiling. "Thank you Poppy, that will be all for now."

"I want him to stay for another night, regardless of what you say", she said.

Dumbledore nodded and she went to take care of Harry again.

Now he was turning to me again. "At least I hope that was a joke, Mr Potter. Although you should probably be careful using such language around Poppy."  
I sneered. "If you haven't noticed, _Professor, _I just killed my defense teacher. I should be allowed to cope with it however the hell I want to. And if I'm choosing to be sarcastic about it and piss people off then you should damn well encourage me to do so! Lest it won't stay a joke forever."

The twinkling vanished from his eyes and once again I had managed to make the old coot go from merry sunshine to sad old man. Maybe I should call it a hobby.

"I want you to know, Charles, that I am eternally sorry for what you had to go through. Never should it have been possible for your brother and you to get into so much danger. However you dealed with it showing great courage and honor, saving the life of your brother and possibly hundreds more by preventing Voldemorts return."

"Yes", I hissed, "Voldemorts return was prevented and it was most certainly _not _thanks to you! Where were you when the school needed you most? Where were you when Voldemort attacked Hogwarts students? Where were you when Harry was being tortured and I, _an eleven year old kid, _had to stain his soul with the sin of _murder _in order to get out of that hell? _Where were you?"_

Hot fury was burning in my eyes as I stared down the headmaster, making him look at least 200 years old and as if he regretted living every single one of them.

It was not all a lie. I was upset about having killed another human being, certainly more so then I would have thought when I made the plan. I thought it would be like shooting a skeleton in a computer game or maybe gutting a rabbit for dinner. Quirrell was not real, after all. Not to mention he was the bad guy and he _had _been trying to kill me. Not even Harry had showed any sign of concern for being a killer after his first year, so why should I?

The answer was simple. It was my mental maturity, normally the one thing that made me superior to all my peers, that got in my way now. I was technically an adult and even if my body had the hormones of a child I was still fully capable of understanding what killing a person meant. I did not know if Quirrell had any family. Hell, maybe he had a wife and children before he met Voldemort. Come to think of it, why wouldn't he still have them?

But even if you left that aside that night had been a life changing experience for me simply because I had now kind of chosen a path. I had not thought about it in such depth but now I knew that there had always only been two paths for me. To be the good guy or the bad guy. It was not possible to stay neutral if I wanted to change the story. Now while some people might consider me saving the day a good thing I knew otherwise. I hadn't gone down there to save Harry or prevent Voldemorts return or some such nonsense. I had gone down there in order to see if I could. In order to see how much I could manipulate people and how well I was dealing with real danger. I had gone there because it was the annual Battle of Good versus Evil and I couldn't just _not _be there. Well, and I wanted the stone, obviously. Also I had fully planned on killing Quirrell months before I entered the corridor. That meant that it wasn't just self-defense or protecting Harry. It was cold-blooded murder. And that was what made me the bad guy of the story.

I took a deep breath to calm myself. There was no point in raging around. I was now officially an antagonist and I had to act like one. And since I actually read the Evil Overlord List that meant I had to act like a professional.

"On second thought, Sir, you don't have to answer that question. I don't care where the hell you've been. Quirrell's dead, Voldemort fled and the stone is destroyed. At least I think it is, I threw it at the mirror in hope it would just get back to wherever the hell it was but the mirror shattered so I don't know what happened to it. Now since you have lost all right to pretend to care about me why don't you leave ol' miserable me alone to deal with my headache?"

Dumbledore eyed me sadly for a couple of seconds, before averting his gaze.

"You... You are right, my boy. I have failed you and your brother and I can fully understand if you won't ever be able to forgive me. Still if there is anything... anything at all that might make you feel better, do not hesitate to ask for help. Not only from me but from any of the other teachers too. Should you decide to seek for psychological help you can ask Madam Pomfrey anytime."

He was just about to go when I stopped him.

"Actually there is something you could do", I said quietly. Still Dumbledore heard it and turned around.

Slowly I raised my eyes from my blankets. Now I had full control over my emotions again. Still that didn't mean that I didn't have any, only that I was fully aware of them and decided consciously which one I allowed to surface. In this case it was raw hatred.

"Stay away from my brother", I hissed with my best Tom-Riddle-glare.

Dumbldedore actually _flinched._

After the headmaster left the hospital wing I was forced to sit around doing nothing. Luckily soon my minions came along to bring me books to entertain me (and to not so subtly interrogate me). Since young people were the most impressionable and them thinking me to be almighty was generally a good thing for my reputation I answered their questions, if only vague and only where rumors already existed. Yes it was true, there was a Philosophers Stone hidden in the third corridor. Yes I knew about it all the time. Yes, I did manage to get past all the enchantments all by myself. How I was able to? Really guys, you know who I am. The question would be why the hell wouldn't I be able to? Yes I did duel Voldemort while Harry stood there doing effectively nothing but solving the one challenge to get the stone that Voldemort couldn't for him and yes, I still managed to prevent the Dark Lords return and saved my brothers ass.

The Slytherins met these claims with mixed feelings. Some where just exited because of the story, some confused or relieved. Still there lingered the question of _why_ I had actually went down there. I may have fooled Dumbldedore simply because I took advantage of his sole weakness, the fact that he _wanted _to believe in my good heart. I had distracted him with accusations so he wouldn't press the matte rof where the stone was. However my minions knew that I didn't care for Harry other then how he may be of use for me. Believing I risked my life to save him was a bit far-fetched for them.

That's why when they were about to leave I said quietly:

"Now you know what happened yesterday. Spread the word around the school, tell your parents and anyone who might listen. When I get out of this bed I want everyone to know this censored version."

For a moment there was silence. Then Daphne shyly asked:  
"Will you ever tell us what really happened, Charles?"

I looked at her with cold, avada-green eyes. "Greengrass, have you forgotten the Code?"

"Ask no questions", Draco murmured.

Theodore nodded gravely, continuing. "Do not doubt", until they all said together: "Tell no one."

"This is not only for my protection", I said seriously, "but also for yours. You are better off not knowing."

* * *

However the Slytherins were not the only ones who doubted my intentions. The next day when I was released Snape called me to his office.

"Never in my whole life", said the potions master fuming with anger, "have I seen a Slytherin doing something this reckless and foolish. Even if you don't consider that your brother probably deserved whatever he got, everyone with even a tiny fraction of brain would have called a teacher to deal with the problem! I had honestly thought you better then that! You acted like... like a bloody Gryffindor, just what the hell were you thinking?"

When it finally seemed as if he'd allow me to answer I said calmly:  
"I'm sorry if I worried you, Professor. But the whole thing was not actually as reckless as it seems. I knew beforehand what all the enchantments were and how to get past them. Regardless of what the whole school thinks, I did not fight Moldyshorts. I fought Quirrell, who was only a slightly above average wizard. Count to that that he couldn't touch me without being fatally burned _and _the fact that I drank a vial of Felix Felicis before that the Malfoys gave me as a Christmas present my chances to survive were rather good. Also I _did _make sure we would be found by teachers, just not too early."

"Oh and exactly how would you know about the enchantments?", he spat.

"Didn't I already tell you that?"

"Don't give me that seer story again! I know it can't be true. There hasn't been a seer in your family for centuries and even if there were, you act nothing like one!"

I scowled hard at him. Seems I had to come up with a more plausible lie for Snape. Shit, I had to be careful that I didn't lose counts on them all.

"The answer to that question is kind of delicate. That's not to say I did anything illegal but I don't know you well enough yet to trust you with it."

"You will tell me right now or I will not only take points from you for your stupidity but also I will cancel our potion lessons since you're obviously not fit for them!"

I considered that for a moment. It was not as if I liked the private lessons I had with Snape. But unlike the normal lessons in these Snape actually taught me. That's to mean he didn't just write down instructions at the blackboard and left me to my own devises, he told me all sorts of tips and tricks not unlike the ones to be found in the half blood prince book. Since I didn't ever underestimate the power of potions I wanted to continue the lessons.

But then what kind of lie should I tell him? It had to be closer to the truth then anything else I've invented so far. Something like what I had told Voldemort would work, I decided.

"I will tell you, Professor", I said finally, "but if I do I ask you to tell no one about it. This will stay between you and me."

"Very well", he sneered.

But I shook my head. "I'm sorry but I have to ask for a magical oath."

A magical oath, as I had read about in the library, was a lot like an Unbreakable Vow with the exception that one, it didn't need a witness an two, upon breaking the oath you didn't die. Instead you lost all your magic, making you a squib. (It was widely discussed if that wasn't actually worse then the Unbreakable Vow.)

Snape looked as if he bit a lemon. "What kind of secret could possibly require such extremes?"

I shrugged. "You will never know if you don't agree. And just for clarification means, I want you to swear that you won't ever leak any information about what I'm about to tell you through any means to anyone. Also you will not try to learn more by administering me potion, delving into my mind or ask others to do so." The last one was in order to make sure I wouldn't be forced to take occlumency lessons with him in fifth year (or before that). With the vow in place he wouldn't be able to teach me, not even if I agreed to it.

Snape of course argued against it but after some time I just turned him out and asked if that was all, then was I allowed to leave?

Finally he made the oath.

"I know what you think but I'm not paranoid. It's just that there are people out there to get me. Lot's of people", I said with a wry smile. "And I'm not just talking about Moldyshorts."

"Who else could you mean?", he asked, ignoring my choice of words.

"That's what this whole thing is about, Professor. I'm afraid the headmaster himself could be a danger to me."

Snape snorted. "Ridiculous."

I sighed. "I'm the first Potter in Slytherin in the last five generations. I'm the best student in my year – Ravenclaws aside. I managed to climb to the top of my years hierarchy in Slytherin in mere weeks in spite of my reputation and halfblood status, I was able to get past all the enchantments on the way to the stone and fight off Moldyshorts. And last but not least I am a parselmouth, Professor, who does that description remind you of?"

Snape paled visibly.

I nodded coldly. "Dumbldedore is bound to draw the same conclusion sooner or later, if he hasn't already." I sat down on one of the tables leisurely. "When we first met I told you what kind of dangers would await me here. I knew of the Cerberus and the troll because I was receiving short flashes of memory, thoughts and plans of the Dark Lord. For a long time now bits and pieces of memory have been leaking through. I knew that Quirrell was possessed from the very beginning. But since Dumbldedore did so well to fight off Moldyshorts in the past I figured he would know too and that the enchantments were really just a trap for him."

"But you didn't warn him", Snape stated dully.

"Who should I have warned? Should I have told Moldyshorts that it was a trap? He's already pissed at me that my brother and I destroyed his body. If he knew how much I know about him, all his weaknesses and strengths, let's say he would consider me a far greater threat then I already am. I have no desire to help him in any way.

Or should I have warned Dumbldedore, so he would find out that I have a mental connection to the Dark Lord? He would demand that I shut it off and failing that, try to examine it. If he found that it was too dangerous he would find a way to get me killed, I'm sure of it. I happen to be perfectly able to shut it off, I'm just leaving it open a little bit so that I can get information. As long as he doesn't catch up on it, which is unlikely as long as he's in spirit form, it should be alright. I know of what kind the connection is too and I assure you it _would _get me killed if the 'light side' had its way. Which is also why I won't tell you what it is, regardless of what you say. You'd all be afraid I turned into a second Voldemort. Which I won't, of course, he's kind of a deterrent example. I'm just making the best use out of the resources I have, like a true Slytherin should."

Snape exhaled deeply, seemingly thinking over my words.

"I do understand why you'd want to keep this secret", he finally said, "and I will keep my oath. However that does not explain why you went down there."

"For two reasons", I said calmly. "First I know what Moldyshorts has in store for me and since the day I entered Hogwarts, maybe even before, I have been training, searching for a way to stand up to him. I knew that he would be there that day and that he would be weakened. If, after everything I did, I still wasn't powerful enough to beat Quirrell then there was no way I would ever be able to survive meeting the real thing. I do not plan to play hide and seek for my whole life. I had to know that there was hope for me getting out of it alive. Now I know there is. Now I know if I'm just clever enough, if I just train more I will eventually reach his level and be able to fight him on even ground."

That was something Snape could understand. It was the Slytherin way of thinking. The snakes never fought a battle they had no chance of winning. The potions master still remembered how I was determined not to go to Hogwarts at all in the beginning. The chance of me dying had been small but if I had been unable to defeat Quirrellmort before the teachers came to save the day there would have been a possibility to go back to the muggle world again.

"What's the second reason?", Snape wanted to know eventually.

"Simple, it's my brother. I could've engaged Quirrellmort in combat anytime and eventually I would have but I would've preferred to do so at the last day of the year so people wouldn't have time to question me like you do now. I would have preferred to wait until he was further weakened by whatever trap was set up for him. However I had to do it earlier because my brother almost messed up my plans. The one obstacle Voldemort couldn't solve, how to get the stone out of the mirror, he did for him. That was incredible stupid of him. I had to stop him before things could get out of hand."

"I see. And there is Dumbldedore thinking about awarding you points for heroically saving your brother."

"Well, I _did _save him... Just not very heroically", I said with a wry smile.

* * *

Two days later Harry was released from the hospital wing. The first time we met on a corridor he looked at me with a expression I couldn't decipher, murmured a quick "Thank you for saving me" and walked away as fast as he could without running. For the rest of the school year neither made any attempts to speak to the other again.

At the feast Dumbldedore gave out his last minute points. Neville, Ron and Harry got their 160. However since I got 60 too and I had prevented Draco from losing 50 in the dragon disaster this meant that Slytherin still won by 110 points, putting Gryffindor in second place.

Soon the exam results came around. Since I already knew what was to be tested on most of the subjects I had passed with flying colors. In fact, the only student who got better marks was Hermione.

Now all the trunks were packed and we marched back to the lake to be shipped over by Hagrid. After receiving lots of invitations to visit over the summer from my minions during the train ride I met up with Harry again to be picked up by the Dursleys. Harry wasn't looking too sad. I knew he planned on scaring Dudley, who didn't know he was not supposed to do magic outside of Hogwarts. _My _plans for the summer of course were far more complex. I had absolutely no desire to be pushed around by anyone. This year I'd have the summer of my live and no one, not ministry regulations nor house elves nor the muggles would get in my way.

* * *

OoOoO

And there it is... the last chapter of my fanfic. I hope you enjoyed it and we'll see each other at the sequel. I haven't decided on a name yet but I'll post it here when it's up.

Special thanks to all my reviewers. I always like to hear from you.

Haxong

The sequel is up ow. Its name is "Do not question".

s/10052990/1/Do-not-question


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